Nellore Train Accident: Versions Differ on Cause of Fire

Nellore train accident, that happened in the wee hours yesterday, left 32 passengers charred to death, several others injured and the whole nation wondering what could have been the reason of fire that caused the accident. A mystery fire broke out in a sleeper class coach of Chennai-bound Tamil Nadu Express early Monday morning, killing 32 passengers and injuring 25 others in one of worst mishaps in the region.

Different versions have emerged as to the cause of the accident. On one hand, railway officials blame the short circuit for the fire, but on the other hand, Railway Minister Mukul Roy suggested it could be due to sabotage. With multiple versions now emerging, many questions still remain unanswered. Suggesting something more than what meets the eye, the Railway Minister, who was in Kolkata, said, "a gateman at one of the level crossings near Nellore station heard a loud sound when the fire occurred in the coach". The minister also said the Divisional Railway Manager had referred to a report of a blast in the enquiry by the Commissioner of Railway Safety of South-Central Circle. Asked if he suspected any act of sabotage, Roy said, "I will not say anything at this stage. Nothing can be excluded and nothing can be said without an investigation. It will be investigated if inflammable substances were in the compartment or it was caused by a short circuit."

However the local police who are probing the accident are of the opinion that the fire might have been caused by a short circuit in one of the toilets. It was first noticed by Nellore station manager at 4.15 AM and the train was immediately brought to a halt. Giant flames leapt out of the ill-fated bogie and the fire could be controlled only at around 5.30 AM after two fire engines reached the spot from Chennai, which is about 150 km away. There were reports that the S-11 coach had a malfunctioning door that led to passengers rushing to the other end for escape. This could have also been the reason why there were more casualties. The number of dead was put at 32 by Additional DG Railway Police in Hyderabad VSK Kaumudi. 25 people were injured in the mishap and have been admitted to different hospitals.