Madurai train blaze: Railway officials, police trying to identify 9 charred bodies

Southern Railway safety commissioner to probe Madurai train coach blaze amidst trying hard to identify the nine pilgrims

CHENNAI — Officials of the Southern Railway and Madurai police are trying hard to identify the nine pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh who were charred to death in the Madurai train blaze in Tamil Nadu.

Sources in the Southern Railway told IANS that the task of identifying the victims of the fire tragedy is herculean as all those who died were charred beyond recognition.

On Saturday itself, the team of officials, including Madurai Corporation Commissioner, Pawan Kumar could establish contact with some families of the people who travelled in the charred coach from Lucknow.

There were 63 people who were in the charred coach when the journey commenced from Nagercoil in Tamil Nadu and the officials could assemble 39 persons who were in the team. Six people were admitted to the Railway hospital and two were admitted to the Government Rajaji Medical College Hospital, Madurai.

Seven people were missing and this led to confusion on who all died but in between officials said that two of the missing people had called their families back home but did not know their location.

Police are trying to trace the missing persons through their mobile phones.

The process of identifying the missing and deceased is continuing, and sources in Railways told IANS that the process is tough but they are positive in identifying the bodies.

The tragedy happened when a fire broke out inside a stationary train compartment at Madurai railway station in the early hours of Saturday.

Southern Railway safety commissioner to probe Madurai train coach blaze

Southern Railway Safety commissioner will on Sunday conduct a statutory inquiry into the Madurai train coach blaze in which nine people were charred to death

The Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, A.M. Chowdhary will hold the inquiry at the Divisional Railway Manager’s complex, Madurai.

Railways in a statement said that any member of the public who has knowledge about the incident and matter connected with it can write to the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Railway, 2nd Floor, Rail Sanrakasha Bhavan, Bengaluru, 5600023.

There were reports that a gas cylinder that was illegally carried into the tourist coach had burst while the passengers were trying to cook food in the coach leading to the blaze and subsequent deaths.

The Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services have also constituted a ten-member committee to probe into the train blaze.

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