Train coach catches fire in Tamil Nadu's Madurai; 9 dead, 55 rescued

Nine bodies have been retrieved after a fire accident in a train coach halted at Madhurai Railway Station on Saturday morning. According to reports, the bodies have been shifted to the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai and rescue operation is underway. The incident happened when a passenger fired a gas stoke inside the train to make coffee. 

"Today early morning at 5:30 am there was a fire accident in the coach which was halted here at Madurai railway station...They were pilgrims and were travelling from Uttar Pradesh. This morning when they tried to make coffee & tried to lit the gas stove, there was a cylinder blast. 55 people have been rescued & as of now, we have retrieved nine bodies...Rescue operation is underway...," says MS Sangeetha, Madurai District Collector.

VIDEO | Several killed after a fire broke out in a tourist train parked on Bodi Lane near Madurai railway station in the wee hours of Saturday. pic.twitter.com/z6EMz4xsXn

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 26, 2023

The authorities pointed out in a statement that a cylinder was illegally carried into the train. A cylinder and a packed to chips were also found among the scattered items indicating an attempt of cooking was made in the running train. 

"This is a private party coach that was attached at Nagercoil Junction yesterday (Aug 25) by train no. 16730 (Punalur-Madurai Exp). Party coach was detached and kept at Madurai Stabling line. The passengers in the private party coach have illegally smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire. Many passengers had got out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers had got down at platform itself," said the official statement.