Major fire averted in train carrying 1000 tonnes of coal

A major fire was averted today on a freight train carrying approximately 1000 tonnes of coal to a thermal unit in Mettur from here, officials said.

They said a gangman noticed columns of smoke billowing out of a wagon when the train was passing Kambatham village in Vellore district this afternoon.     He immediately alerted officials in nearby Latheri and Katpadi railway stations, who in turn informed the Fire and Rescue Services Department.

"We fought for two hours. The fire was put out fully," A Annasamy, Katpadi Fire Station Officer, who led a team of six fire fighters to douse the blaze told PTI.

Care was taken to ensure that the blaze did not spread to other wagons, he said.
Power supply to overhead cables above the rails was shut down before the fire tenders began their operation.

There were a total of 40 wagons, each carrying approximately 25 tons of coal.
On the likely cause of the fire, G Elango, District Fire Officer, Vellore, said it was being looked into. "It is likely that it was due to self-ignition. Coal has a propensity to self-ignite," he said.

Officials were relieved as loss of coal in a fire would also have meant obstacles in power production in Mettur.