A major fire broke out on Sunday morning when a moving goods train carrying diesel caught fire near Tiruvallur in northern Tamil Nadu. The incident disrupted train services on the important Chennai-Arakkonam route.
Luckily, no one was injured in the incident. However, many passengers were left stranded. To help them, the state transport department ran over 170 special buses.
According to Southern Railway, the fire started around 5:30 am in one of the middle wagons while the train was leaving Tiruvallur station. The goods train was on its way from Chennai Harbour to Walajah Road Siding. The fire spread quickly and engulfed 18 wagons. Some wagons also derailed, and thick black smoke filled the sky. Firefighters were rushed to the spot to bring the fire under control.
The loco pilot quickly applied emergency brakes after noticing the fire, and the station master turned off the overhead power lines as a safety measure. Still, the fire had already spread up to the 19th wagon before the train could be stopped.
Many residents living near the tracks were moved to shelters as a safety step. State Minister S M Nasar visited the site and reviewed the situation with officials.
Train services between Chennai and Arakkonam, a key route linking Chennai with Bengaluru, Kerala, and Tirupati, were affected. Twelve express trains were cancelled, 8 more were cancelled later, 5 were diverted, and 8 trains were stopped before reaching their final destination. Local EMU train services in the area were also suspended.
Railway officials, along with the district administration, NDRF, and fire services, handled the rescue and restoration work. A total of 30 wagons and the engine were safely separated from the burning wagons.
The exact cause of the fire is not yet known and is under investigation.
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