Security personnel at the spot after a fire broke out in a coach of a train at Madurai railway station on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
Credit: PTI Photo
At least nine tourists from Uttar Pradesh were charred to death when a LPG cylinder, which was taken illegally inside their private train coach for cooking food, exploded in Madurai railway yard in the wee hours of Saturday. The fire which gutted the entire coach began at around 5 am. It was doused only after two hours at 7.15 am.
While nine people died, eight others who received burn injuries are receiving treatment at government hospitals in Madurai. The dead are part of a 63-member tourist group from Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh who came to south India on a pilgrimage. The group booked a private coach and returned to Madurai at 3.47 am on Saturday via train no 16730 (Punalur–Madurai Express).
Southern Railway officials told DH that an LPG cylinder is suspected to be behind the fire.
"LPG cylinder is strictly prohibited inside the coach but the group managed to bring it and was reportedly making tea when it exploded,” an official said.
V Vanitha, Additional Director General of Police (Railways) ruled out sabotage in the accident and said the coach caught fire after some members used the cylinder to make tea.
“It is an accident. We are in the process of identifying bodies and we will send them to Uttar Pradesh via Chennai once the formalities are completed,” she said.
Southern Railway also constituted a Statutory Inquiry into the incident by A M Chowdhary, Commissioner of Railway Safety (South), Bengaluru, who inspected the yard on Saturday evening. He will commence the inquiry in Madurai on Sunday, officials said.
Praveen Gupta, a member of the group, said they came to Madurai after visiting Nagercoil and Kanyakumari, and were to leave for Chennai by Train no 16824 (Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Express) and from there to Lucknow.
“There was a sudden explosion. Before we could realise what was happening, the fire spread to the entire coach. We pulled out as many people as we could from the coach. But unfortunately we lost some of our people. We never thought our pilgrimage could end with such sadness,” Gupta said.
Chief Minister M K Stalin said he was deeply saddened by the tragic incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh.
After arriving at Madurai, the private party coach was detached and kept at Madurai Stabling line as per the itinerary, officials added.
“The passengers in the private party coach have illegally smuggled a gas cylinder and this has caused the fire. Many passengers had gotten out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers had gotten down at the platform itself,” the official said.
Officials said any individual can book a party coach using the IRCTC portal and that they are not allowed to carry any inflammable material like a gas cylinder.
“A travel agent M/s Bhasin travels, Sitapur had booked this private party coach online through IRCTC. They are strictly not allowed to carry or use any inflammable material like gas cylinders and an undertaking in this respect was furnished by the travel Agency. The coach is meant to be used only for transportation purposes,” the Southern Railway said.
Officials said carrying inflammable articles like gas cylinders, crackers, acid, kerosene, petrol, thermit welding, stove, etc. and explosives is a punishable offence under sections 67,164 and 165 of Railways Act of 1989.
As per para 9 of Railway Manual, private tourist parties should give a written declaration that they will not carry any inflammable article during their journey. The above-mentioned private party had also given a declaration to this effect.