TN: 9 killed as train with illegal LPG' catches fire

Chennai: The fire caused by the unauthorised use of a cooking gas cylinder by members of a tourist group killed nine of them and left their sleeper coach stationed here gutted early on Saturday. Officials said eight passengers have suffered burns while an equal number of them are missing. Three bodies are yet to be identified.

The tourist group from Uttar Pradesh had booked the coach through IRCTC, officials said.

The accident struck at 5.15 am when some of the passengers made use of an illicit cooking gas cylinder in the coach. The flames quickly engulfed the compartment, causing panic and chaos among the occupants. Firefighters who arrived 30 minutes later struggled for two hours and extinguished the fire.

The privately chartered coach, organised by Bhasin Travels of Sitapur, had been booked for 63 passengers originating from Lucknow. The group's journey commenced on August 17 and the coach arrived at Madurai at 3.47 am on Saturday. It was subsequently detached from the train and stationed on the Madurai stabling line, adhering to its planned itinerary.

The railway authorities had explicitly forbidden the carriage or use of inflammable materials like gas cylinders within the coach. The travel agency had given a written undertaking affirming adherence to these regulations. The coach was intended solely for transportation purposes and not for the preparation of meals.

The Railways has announced it will pay an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to those who suffered severe injuries. Individuals with minor injuries will receive Rs 50,000.

The Railway Act of 1989 prohibits the possession and usage of inflammable items such as gas cylinders, petrol, explosives and other hazardous materials while on travel. Offenders face legal consequences under Sections 67, 164, and 165 of the Act.

Commissioner of railway safety (southern circle, Bengaluru) A.M. Chowdhary will lead an investigation in an effort to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident. Those with relevant information or evidence related to the incident can attend a conference at the divisional railway manager's office complex in Madurai on Sunday or submit their accounts to the Commissioner of Railway Safety, southern circle, in Bengaluru.