Falaknuma Express Coaches Catch Fire, Passengers Rescued

5-7 coaches of train no 12703 Falaknuma Express running between Howrah and Secunderabad today caught fire in the Bommaipalli - Pagidipalli section on the Guntur division, near the Bibinagar railway station.

At least five coaches were impacted in the incident.

Immediately upon noticing the smoke, alert railway staff on board pulled the alarm chain and brought the train to a halt. They also immediately assisted the passengers in de-boarding the train.

All the passengers were reported to be safe and there were no casualties or injuries reported. Several passengers however said that their belongings were gutted in the accident.

Upon receiving the information about the incident, Arun Kumar Jain, General Manager, SCR, rushed to the spot along with a team of higher officials. An accident relief train and a medical relief train were also rushed to the spot. The General Manager monitored the relief operations at the spot personally including provision of transport to the affected passengers.

The stranded passengers of the affected train were brought to the Secunderabad station by train as well as buses. Catering arrangements (snacks and water bottles) were also arranged for the stranded passengers. And a help desk was set up at Secunderabad railway station to provide information about the incident and on related train operations.

The unaffected coaches of the train were detached from the formation and the remaining passengers were brought to the city in the same train.

To also provide relief to the passengers of two other trains which were cancelled due to the disruption in the section, catering as well as bus arrangements to transport them were made. Buses were arranged for the passengers to move towards Secunderabad as well as Guntur.

Once the section was cleared of the affected coaches, it was restored for train movement in all aspects at 5:55 pm.

The exact reason behind the incident is not known yet, but a short-circuit caused by a battery is being suspected. CPRO of the South Central Railway Ch Rakesh said that the reasons behind the accident would be known only after an inquiry, but asserted that there was no link between a recent threatening phone call and the accident.