Close shave for passengers as overhead wire falls on EMU local in Kolkata

Passengers of an EMU local on a Sealdah-bound train had a close shave today when the overhead wire snapped and fell on a coach, burning the upper portion of the bogie at Canning station, a railway official said.

A spokesman of the Eastern Railway said that no one was injured in the incident at the Sealdah South section that occurred at 11.58 am, when the train was waiting at the station to depart for its return journey to Sealdah.

Passengers had a narrow escape as the live overhead wire, which carries 25 kilovolt (KV) power, fell on the upper portion of the coach, away from one of the doors, the official said.

"The parted overhead wire fell on the coach of 34531 Up Canning-Sealdah local, which was then awaiting departure at platform number 2 of Canning station, causing a flash and a small part of the upper portion of a coach of the EMU train was slightly burnt which created panic among passengers," the spokesman said.

Following the incident, train movements to and from Canning, a small town in the fringes of Sunderbans, have been stopped.

Truncated services are being maintained up to Ghutiari Shariff.

Repair work for restoration of train movements were on, the official said.