The second luggage room (SLR) coach of the 12516 Guwahati -Thiruvananthapuram Express, which arrived at the Central railway station here on Friday night, was partially gutted in a fire while the rake was parked in the yard for maintenance on Saturday noon.
No one was injured in the incident that gave anxious moments for the railway and security personnel and commuters alike. The fire was spotted in the coach by the mechanical staff around 1.45 p.m. when the rake was on “Road 13” on the Power House side, the second entry to the station. By that time, the blaze had engulfed the passenger side of the coach. Personnel of Railways and the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services doused the fire by around 2.15 p.m. and prevented it from spreading to the other 22 coaches of the rake.
Additional Divisional Manager P. Mahesh, RPF Divisional Security Commissioner Rajnish Kumar Tripathi, and senior officials supervised the fire-fighting operations. The passenger side of the disabled- friendly SLR, on the rear of the rake, was fully gutted. However, the guard side was not affected.
Railway sources told The Hindu that the fire had spread from the top of the SLR coach and the Kerala Fire and Rescue Services personnel suspect short circuit led to theincident.
The fire reportedly spread from near the ceiling fan in the coach. Railways were also looking into the sabotage angle, the sources said.
Forensic experts from the police inspected the coach that was sealed and moved to a secluded area for investigation.
Railways ordered an inquiry by a three-member team of officials from the security, electrical, and mechanical wings. “The inquiry will commence on Monday. The reason and the loss suffered will be known only after the inquiry,” Mr. Mahesh said.
The rake was to proceed as the 12515 Thiruvananthapuram- Guwahati Express on Sunday afternoon from the station. Railways will attach another SLR coach to the rake.
