One Dead as Fire Guts Coaches of Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express
The fire broke out around 1.30 am when the train was passing through the Yelamanchili–Duvvada section in Visakhapatnam district
Visakhapatnam: A major fire broke out aboard the Tata–Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) in the early hours of Monday, destroying two air-conditioned coaches and claiming the life of a passenger, sources said.
The incident occurred between 1 am and 1.30 am when the Ernakulam-bound train was near Yelamanchili railway station in Visakhapatnam district. The fire erupted in the B1 and M2 AC coaches, located just behind the pantry car.
The loco pilot noticed the blaze and immediately halted the train at Yelamanchili station, alerting the fire brigade. However, by the time emergency personnel reached the spot, both coaches had been completely gutted.
The deceased was identified as Chandrasekhar (70), a resident of Visakhapatnam, who was travelling to Vijayawada.
Firefighting personnel from Anakapalle, Yelamanchili and Nakkapalli rushed to the spot and worked for several hours to douse the flames. All belongings of passengers travelling in the two affected coaches were completely gutted in the fire.
Senior railway officials arrived at Yelamanchili station to assess the situation, while ambulances were rushed to the scene as a precautionary measure. Amid cold weather conditions, around 2,000 passengers were stranded at the station for several hours.
The incident caused widespread disruption to rail services in the Waltair Division. The affected train reached Anakapalli station after a delay of more than four hours. Several trains passing through Yelamanchili were either halted or regulated.
The Puri–Tirupati Express (17479) and the Shalimar–Coimbatore Express (18045) were among the trains controlled at various stations due to the disruption. The Visakhapatnam–Lokmanya Tilak Terminus Express (12805) and the Visakhapatnam–Guntur Express (17240) were also held at Visakhapatnam.
Passengers from the affected coaches were safely evacuated and later shifted to Samalakota railway station using three APSRTC buses arranged by the authorities.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Anita expressed grief over the loss of life and spoke to senior officials and fire department authorities to seek continuous updates. Terming the death “deeply unfortunate”, she directed that the injured, if any, be provided the best possible medical care and instructed officials to ensure that rail traffic is restored at the earliest with minimal inconvenience to passengers.
