Mumbai: An assistant loco pilot aboard a Mumbai-bound train, who was checking the train’s locomotive engine when it caught fire, fell off and died, an official said.
The incident took place around 5 pm when the 12810 Howrah-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) was speeding between the Talni and Dhamangaon stations of Central Railway (CR) in Amravati district, nearly 700 km from Mumbai, in eastern Maharashtra.
The minor fire erupted inside the locomotive but was quickly extinguished by the engine drivers using a fire extinguisher.
However, SK Vishwakarma, 32, the assistant loco pilot, fell from the running train while examining the train as part of normal operating procedures after the incident.
Soon after Vishwakarma fell from the train, main loco pilot, DA Brahme quickly applied the emergency brakes and brought the train to a halt.
An ambulance was summoned and the severely-injured Vishwakarma was rushed to hospital, where he was declared dead.
There were no other casualties or injuries to any passengers on the train which left for its onward journey to Mumbai, with a replacement locomotive and a delay of around 45 minutes, a Central Railway spokesperson said.
