Eyewitness claims short-circuit triggered fire in train
RAHIM YAR KHAN (92 News) – Rejecting the Railways administration’s statement regarding cause of fire in Tezgam Express, an eyewitness claimed that short-circuit in the ceiling fan of an air conditioned triggered the fire in train on Thursday.
The witness said that that reports of a possible gas cylinder leakage, or explosion are false and did not trigger the flames. He also said that the all the cylinders were checked and gas removed from station.
The eyewitness also narrated how many of them jumped from the moving vehicle engulfed in flames to save their lives from jeopardy. On the contrary, other passengers said that the flame was triggered due to the cylinders blast.
A Pakistan Railways official confirmed that the fire was caused by the explosion in a gas cylinder. After the blast, the raging fire engulfed two other coaches as well.
Railway officials said there were more than 200 passengers travelling in the three carriages, in which there were at least 77 passengers in one of the carriages while there 78 in the other economy class carriage. At least 54 passengers were travelling in the business class carriage.
At least 73 passengers were killed and several injured when an Tezgam Express train caught fire near the city area of Liaquatpur in Rahim Yar Khan on Thursday.
According to the reports, several passengers burnt alive as three bogies of Tezgam Express caught fire near Talwari Station in Liaquatpur area.
The coach where the cylinder blasted was booked by the Tableeghi Jamaat’s men. They were boiling eggs on the gas stove to have breakfast when it exploded with a huge blast. After the blast, the raging fire engulfed two other coaches also.
The ten vehicles of firefighters and Rescue 1122 reached at the spot and started the operation to extinguish the fire. The affected bogies have been separated from the train.
The emergency was imposed all over the district hospitals. The wounded persons has been shifted to the THQ Liaquatpur, RHC Chani Goth and Bahawalpur Victoria hospitals.
The coach where the cylinder blasted was booked by the Tableeghi Jamaat’s men. They were boiling eggs on the gas stove to have breakfast when it exploded with a huge blast. After the blast, the raging fire engulfed two other coaches also.
The ten vehicles of firefighters and Rescue 1122 reached at the spot and started the operation to extinguish the fire. The affected bogies have been separated from the train.
The emergency was imposed all over the district hospitals. The wounded persons has been shifted to the THQ Liaquatpur, RHC Chani Goth and Bahawalpur Victoria hospitals.
