Tamil Nadu Fire: 18 Wagons Gutted As Train Carrying Diesel Goes Up In Flames In Tiruvallur

Tiruvallur: At least 18 wagons were gutted in a massive fire that broke out on a goods train carrying fuel in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur on Sunday morning.

The cargo train carrying diesel from Chennai Harbour to Walajah Road Siding caught fire while exiting Tiruvallur railway station at 5.30 am, a Southern Railway spokesperson said in a statement in the afternoon. "Many other wagons (3rd from engine onwards) also derailed," he said.

Railways has roped in a 140-ton Maamallan crane to clear the debris. Authorities have stated that the work of removing the burnt coaches will be completed by night and train traffic will resume as a one-way route tomorrow morning.

Upon noticing the fire, the loco pilot immediately applied the emergency brakes and Station Master, Tiruvallur, switched off the overhead power supply as a precautionary measure. Soon, massive plumes of smoke and flames engulfed the area as the fire swept through multiple wagons.

A140-ton Maamallan crane (ETV Bharat)

"By the time the train was brought to a halt, the fire spread up to the 19th wagon," the spokesperson said, confirming that 18 wagons had been destroyed in the fire.

The fire department found it difficult to put out the blaze given the massive quantity of fuel, even though more than 10 fire engines were engaged in the operation. The police had to evacuate people living in nearby residential areas, and the power supply was also disconnected for safety reasons. LPG cylinders in houses near the accident site were also removed.

From the goods train, 30 unaffected wagons and the locomotive were safely detached and isolated from the accident site. "While 18 wagons were gutted in the fire and four trailing wagons were safely removed from the incident zone," the spokesperson said.

NDRF Teams Rush To Spot

Two NDRF teams comprising 50 rescuers were deployed at the incident site for rescue and support operations after the Tiruvallur district administration requested the same.

Tiruvallur District Collector M Prathap, along with other officials and rescue teams, reached the spot and intensified firefighting operations. No loss of life was reported in the accident at the time this report was updated. Tamil Nadu Minister SM Nassar also visited the scene and has called for expediting rescue operations.

Train Services Hit

Following the incident, Southern Railway said the train operations in the important Chennai–Arrakonam section, linking Chennai with Bangalore, Kerala and Renugunta/Tirupati had to be suspended.

"12 Mail/Express trains scheduled to commence from or terminating at Chennai Central were cancelled, and several other trains were either diverted or short-terminated," the spokesperson said.

The General Manager and Divisional Railway Manager, with senior officials of Southern Railway, are at the site to monitor the rescue and restoration operations in close coordination with the district administration, NDRF and Fire & Rescue Services, he said. "Residents in the vicinity were evacuated as precautionary measure, though there has been no injury to any person," the spokesperson added.

Meanwhile, stranded passengers bound for Chennai at nearby stations and in trains halted en route were provided with alternative transportation arrangements through MTC buses.

Earlier, Southern Railway had shared two helpline numbers -- 044-25354151 and 044-24354995 -- for passengers seeking assistance.

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