Barely 12 hours after the Delhi-Darbhanga Superfast train had caught fire at the Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, another similar incident occurred at the same place. At least 19 passengers suffered injuries after Bihar bound Vaishali Express caught fire in the wee hours on Thursday near Etawah railway station. Of these 11 injured passengers were experiencing breathing problems and have been referred to hospital for further treatment.
According to the officials of the district administration of Etawah, fire broke out in one coach of Delhi-Saharsa, Vaishali Superfast Express in the wee hours of Thursday, the second such incident within a span of 12 hours near Etawah, UP. Earlier on Wednesday evening a similar incident had occurred with the Delhi-Darbhanga, Humsafar Express at Sarai Bhupat railway station 8 Km before Etawah. Eight passengers had suffered minor burn injuries in that incident.
Fire occurred around 3 am in S6 coach, say eyewitnesses
According to the eyewitnesses, fire occurred around 3 AM in the S6 coach of Vaishali Express while it reached Etawah. The train was en route from New Delhi to Saharsa in Bihar when the incident occurred leaving 19 passengers injured, of which 11 suffered serious burn injuries. The passenger observed smoke from the S^ coach and alerted the authorities at the station. The train had moved from Etawah by then and was halted ahead of Mainpuri Junction. The staff of Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) took an hour to douse the fire. The affected coach was detached and the train resumed its journey after four hours of halt.
The 11 seriously injured passengers were rushed to the nearby Safai Medical College for further treatment. The SP, GRP, Agra, Aditya Langesh informed that no fatalities have been reported and the injured passengers have been admitted in the medical college. He said that a detailed inquiry would provide insight into circumstances leading to this incident.
