Nation

Chennai (August 26,2023) : At least 10 people were killed and several others injured after a fire broke out in a coach of the Punalur-Madurai Express train in Tamil Nadu on Saturday. The fire broke out in the S4 coach of the train at around 3:30 am near Katpadi railway station. The train was on its way from Punalur to Madurai. The fire quickly spread to the other coaches and the passengers were forced to jump out of the train to escape.

The fire brigade was called to the scene and it took them several hours to bring the fire under control. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital. The cause of the fire is not yet known. However, it is suspected that it may have been caused by a short circuit. The accident has caused a major disruption to rail traffic in the region. Several trains have been cancelled or diverted.

The government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured. The Prime Minister has expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has ordered a probe into the incident. The accident is a reminder of the need for safety measures in trains. It is important for the railways to take steps to prevent such accidents from happening in the future.