Thane (Maharashtra), Jan 8 (IANS) Nine passengers, including a woman,
were roasted alive when a fire engulfed the speeding Mumbai-Dehradun
Express near Dahanu town in Maharashtra's Thane district early
Wednesday, officials said.
The fire is believed to have erupted in one bogie and
quickly spread to two other bogies, catching the passengers in their
sleep around 2.30 a.m. Wednesday, a Western Railway official
spokesperson said.
"The fire was noticed on the speeding train by a
level-crossing gateman who alerted the guard. The guard informed the
driver and the train was stopped. The gateman did a commendable job and
averted a major disaster," the spokesperson said.
According to
preliminary information, the fire broke out in S-3 coach and quickly
spread to the other adjoining coaches as the train hurtled to its
destination.
Two of the victims identified are Dipika Shah of
Ghatkopar and Devshankar Upadhyay of Borivli, while the identities of
the others are being ascertained.
The fire was brought under
control shortly after the train was brought to a halt at Gholwad
station, around 145 km from north of Mumbai on the Maharasthra-Gujarat
border.
Accident relief vans have been sent from Mumbai and
Gujarat to assist in the relief operations and the injured have been
admitted to hospitals in Dahanu and Gholwad, the official said.
Top
officials, including the divisional railway manager, have rushed to the
tragedy site and are supervising the relief operations.
