Tamil Nadu: Nine killed as massive fire breaks out on train coach at Madurai Railway Junction

At least Nine pilgrims from UP were killed in an LPG cylinder explosion on board a private coach stabled in Madurai Railway Yard on August 26.

As per a press release from Southern Railways, the fire was reported in a private party coach/individual coach in Madurai yard at 5.15 hours of 26.8.23 by a station official. 

Immediately fire service was informed and they arrived at 5.45 AM and the fire was put off at 7.15 AM with no damage to any other coaches. 

It is to be mentioned here that the coach was a private party coach/individual coach that was attached at Nagercoil Junction yesterday (25.8.23) by train no. 16730 (Punalur-Madurai Exp) which arrived in Madurai at 3.47 AM. 

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The party coach was detached and kept at the Madurai Stabling line. 

As per officials, the passengers in the private party coach/ individual coach had illegally smuggled gas cylinders and this caused the fire. 

Many passengers got out of the coach after noticing the fire. Some passengers had got down at the platform itself. 

The party coach had started their journey from Lucknow on 17th August. They are scheduled to return to Chennai tomorrow by Train no. 16824 Kollam-Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri Express and return to Lucknow from there. 

According to the details, as many as 65 passengers from Lucknow were onboard the coach which was engulfed in flames.

While the coach was parked at the yard, some passengers reportedly used illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinders to prepare tea and snacks, thus, giving way to the fire.