Fire breaks out in the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express in Andhra Pradesh, 1 dead

One person died after a fire broke out in two coaches of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express train at Yelamanchili, about 66 km from Visakhapatnam. Police said they received information about the fire at 12:45 AM on Sunday night. At that time, the train had reached Yelamanchili railway station in Anakapalli, Andhra Pradesh.

When the fire broke out, one of the two coaches had 82 passengers and the other had 76. Police recovered a body from the B1 coach. The deceased has been identified as 70-year-old Chandrasekhar Sundaram.

The burnt coaches were detached, and the train was sent to Ernakulam. Passengers will be sent to their destinations by other means. Two forensic teams are investigating the cause of the fire.

Fire spread from one coach to another

According to reports, the fire first broke out in the B1 coach of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express, and then spread to the M2 coach. Panicked passengers, seeing the flames, pulled the emergency chain and ran out of the train. Both coaches of the train have been gutted, and passengers' luggage has also been destroyed.

How can a fire start in an AC coach?

AC coaches run entirely on electricity, so a short circuit can occur due to cut wires, loose connections, or old wiring.
A fire can also be caused by overheating of the coach's AC or electrical panel, or a fault in the compressor or motor.
Overloading of mobile chargers or extension boards can also cause a fire.
In addition, the use of cigarettes, matches, lighters, or flammable materials inside the coach by passengers can also cause a fire.

Know this if you travel by train

Train sockets are only 15-20 watts. They are designed for charging small devices like mobile phones and laptops. These sockets have 110V AC current, which is less than the domestic 220V-240V. Overloading these sockets can cause a short circuit, leading to a fire in the coach. This could also affect the lights, fans, and air conditioning system. It could pose a danger to other passengers. It could disrupt the power supply and damage the train's air conditioning and other electronic equipment.