Passengers aboard a Mumbai-bound train departing from Chennai Central were gripped by fear and seen jumping off the train as thick smoke filled the air.
As per news reports, the incident occurred around 6:45 pm near Basin Bridge, shortly after the express train (12164) had departed from Chennai Central for Lokmanya Tilak Terminus in Mumbai.
As smoke filled the train, panicked passengers hurriedly evacuated, seeking safety. According to the Railways, the train's loco pilot promptly brought the train to a halt, and the smoke was contained by disconnecting the HOG connector.
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"Not an incident of fire," said the Railway
The Railway authorities quickly clarified that there was no fire involved in the incident. Instead, it was a case of smoke emission from the HOG (Head on Generation) coupler, caused by water ingress.
Reports suggested that after addressing the issue, the train resumed its journey without any further technical problems at 7:22 pm.
The 'Head on Generation' locomotive is an energy-efficient system that draws power from the overhead equipment via a loco pantograph to meet the power requirements of the coaches.
This incident comes weeks after a fire broke out in an air-conditioned coach of the Durg-Puri Express in Odisha. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and the fire was confined to the brake pads with no significant damage, as reported by the East Coast Railway.
