Madurai Train Coach Fire: Southern Circle Railway Safety Commissioner Begins Statutory Inquiry

Madurai, August 27: Chennai: A day after nine tourists from Uttar Pradesh perished in a blaze that broke out in a stationary private coach in Madurai, the Commissioner of Railway Safety (Southern Circle), Bengaluru, A M Chowdhary commenced investigation into the accident on Sunday.

Chowdhary, who is expected to submit his report within a month, interacted with those injured in the blaze and undergoing treatment at the Railway Hospital in Madurai.

He enquired with them early in the monring as the tourists had to take a flight in the afternoon from Madurai airport.

Two support staff of the tour operator, who is absconding, were produced before Chowdhary by the Tamil Nadu Railway Police.

The Railways had on Saturday said the blaze was caused by leakage from a LPG cylinder, which was “smuggled” into the coach, while preparing tea.

The tourists and railway officials told the inquiry officer that the doors of the coach were locked with padlocks due to security concerns, and hence they were not able to escape immediately. They jumped out after breaking open the locks.

Meanwhile, all nine bodies, which were identified, were sent back to Lucknow by a special flight from Chennai on Sunday. The surviving tourists were also flown back home.