Hyderabad, March 08: Passengers of the Manoharabad-Secunderabad suburban train had a narrow escape yesterday after three coaches caught fire reportedly due to a short circuit. No passenger was injured but the South Central Railway cancelled nine trains on the route.
The fire was noticed when the Manoharabad-Secunderabad train reached near Dabilpur Halt station between Manoharabad and Medchal around 1 p.m. The train driver immediately brought it to a halt and tried to douse the flames with help of passengers. But the fire spread rapidly and the fire control room was alerted by 1.15 p.m. There were nearly 60 passengers on the train and all of them were evacuated safely.
A fire tender could reach the place only by 2 p.m and by the time three coaches wre gutted in the fire. “The coach in which the fire started was completely gutted while two other coaches were partially damaged,’’ fire officials said. By 3 p.m, the flames were doused and the route cleared for movement of trains. “The mishap took place on the branch line and no regular passenger train was affected. Only nine suburban trains had to be cancelled,’’ a railway spokesperson said.
Senior railway officials including SCR general manager MS Jayanth, Hyderabad divisional railway manager Margoob Hussain rushed to the spot. Though short circuit is suspected to be the cause, police said they were probing the matter. Nine suburban trains moving on the Manoharabad-Secunderabad section were cancelled.
Meanwhile, a minor fire once again broke out in the burnt coaches at night due to high temperatures which was doused immediately by fire services personnel.
—Agencies