Credit: X/@ecor_railfans
Hyderabad: A 70-year-old man died and several passengers had a miraculous escape after a fire broke out on the Ernakulam Express near Elamanchili in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district in the early hours of Monday. Preliminary investigation suggested that the blaze originated near the linen storage area of one of the coaches.
The incident occurred while the Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express -Train No. 18189 was passing through Elamanchili railway station around 12.45 am. The loco pilot noticed flames and promptly halted the train, preventing a major disaster. The fire initially started in the B1 coach, and railway staff quickly detached the affected coaches to stop it from spreading.
As the train came to a complete halt at Elamanchili station, panicked passengers rushed out of the coaches. Despite the swift evacuation, a passenger identified as Chandrasekhar Sundar (70) was unable to deboard and succumbed to the fire. Officials said ex-gratia relief will be provided to the deceased’s family.
“All passengers were deboarded safely except for one person who could not escape. Initial investigations indicate that the fire did not originate from the electrical panel side, which is usually the case, but from the linen storage area. Further inquiry is underway,” said a senior South Central Railway (SCR) official.
Two coaches, B1 and M2, were completely gutted, while M1 (AC III Tier) was detached as a precautionary measure. Fire brigade teams reached the site and extinguished the flames. The remaining train formation was later moved to Samalkot railway station, where replacement coaches are being arranged.
Railway officials arranged buses to transport passengers from the affected coaches to Samalkot. Senior SCR officers, including the Divisional Railway Manager (Vijayawada) and the Commissioner of Railway Safety, visited the site. Forensic and medical teams were also deployed to collect evidence and assess the extent of the damage.
“All necessary precautions are being taken in coordination with the local administration,” officials added.
Helpline numbers have been set up to assist passengers and provide train-running updates:
Elamanchili — 7815909386
Anakapalle— 7569305669
Tuni — 7815909479
Samalkot — 7382629990
Rajahmundry — 0883-2420541, 0883-2420543
Eluru — 7569305268
Vijayawada— 0866-2575167