A diesel-laden goods train caught fire near Tiruvallur in Tamil Nadu early on Sunday, prompting the suspension of overhead power and triggering widespread disruption to rail services from Chennai. Thick plumes of smoke and raging flames were seen rising from one of the tankers, halting operations on the affected route and throwing the Southern Railway’s morning schedule into disarray.
No casualties were reported. Passengers were, however, stranded and state transport corporation operated special buses to cater to the needs of the travelling public.
Based on the official statement made by the Southern Railway, a few middle wagons of the goods train with diesel onboard caught fire while leaving Tiruvallur railway station at about 5.30 hours and several other wagons (3rd from engine onwards) also got derailed and 18 wagons were burned.
The goods train was Chennai Harbour to Walajah Road Siding (Walajabad). The fire, accompanied by gigantic columns of dense smoke went up in the air and fire tenders were rushed to the location.
State Minister (Minorities and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare) SM Nasar, along with officials, inspected the siyuation. Individuals residing near the site of the fire accident were evacuated to shelters. State transport corporations ran more than 170 special services as train services were affected.
The Railway stated: "On seeing the fire in 3rd wagon, loco pilot instigated emergency brakes immediately and Station Master, Tiruvallur, cut off the overhead (OHE) power supply as a safety precaution." In addition, the railway stated: "But before the train was stopped, the fire engulfed up to 19th wagon. Accordingly, train operations in the significant Chennai-Arrakonam section, connecting Chennai with Bangalore, Kerala and Renugunta/Tirupati had to be suspended."
Visuals from the site showed the inferno consuming a section of the freight train as emergency crews battled to contain the blaze.
The fire forced the cancellation or delay of multiple express services scheduled to depart from Dr MGR Chennai Central station.
Also read: Drivers dead, many hurt in Jharkhand goods train collision
The affected trains include:
- Dr MGR Chennai Central – Nagarsol Express
- Dr MGR Chennai Central – KSR Bengaluru Brindavan Superfast Express
- Dr MGR Chennai Central – KSR Bengaluru Double Decker Express
- Dr MGR Chennai Central – Tirupati Saptagiri Express
- Dr MGR Chennai Central – Coimbatore Shatabdi Express
- Dr MGR Chennai Central – Coimbatore Kovai Superfast Express
- Dr MGR Chennai Central – Mysuru Vande Bharat Express
The Southern Railway’s crisis management teams were deployed to the site to coordinate firefighting efforts and assess the damage. Meanwhile, power lines along the affected corridor remained deactivated for safety, further compounding the disruption. Authorities are yet to determine the cause of the fire or the extent of damage to the rolling stock and track infrastructure.
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