Kolkata Metro fire: 16 passengers fall ill due to smoke
Another mishap at Kolkata airport.
In a case of mishap in Kolkata metro, fire broke out between Maidan and Rabindra Sadan station around 4.56 PM. The AC train which started from Rabindra Sadan was passing through the underground tunnel when the fire started in the first compartment. Within minutes smoke engulfed the entire first and the second compartment where the fire broke out.
Many offices are located in the area which end operations around that time. Also, many kids return from schools around that time. So there was a considerable rush in the Metro when the fire broke out.
The Metro authorities managed to douse the fire with the help of fire brigade. Intitially around 50 passengers felt uneasy after being rescued of which 16 have been admitted to the hospital. Some felt nauseous due to the smoke and fainted.
Aparajita Rai, Additional Deputy Commissioner was later quoted by ANI as saying, " There are no casualties, 16 people have been injured, all have been taken to SSKM Medical College. It was an accident, there was a small spark in the front portion of the metro".
People who fell sick have been admitted to SSKM hospital. Metro services are partially hit in the city owing to the fire. The passengers have alleged Metro authorities of not being proactive enough when the fire broke out. However, Metro authorities have said that the situation is now under control and some people have suffered minor injuries.
The train was going towards Dum Dum Metro station from Kavi Subhas station in Kolkata when the mishap happened. Passengers who were in the first and second compartment of the ill-fated train had a torrid time. Help appeared nearly 26 minutes after the fire broke out, according to reports.
Police officials from nearly Park Street and Skakespeare Street station rushed to the spot soon.
Many passengers were hurt as they tried to smash the glass windows to go out of the AC compartment in a state of panic. That lead to some passengers getting ibruises. The train had barely left the station when fire broke out. The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained.
Metro authorities assisted the passengers to gradually come out of the metro compartment by walking over the track. Before that, they had disconnected the power supply of the third rail.
According to passengers, the helpline numbers of Metro Railways didn't work and no one was to be seen initially which increased the panic situation manifold.
Senior police officials including Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, additional police commission Javed Shamim went to the spot to get a firsthand report of the situation. Fire brigade DG Jagmohan too reached the station.