One dead in Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express fire; probe underway
A late-night fire broke out in two AC coaches of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express at Yelamanchili station, Andhra Pradesh, leaving one person dead and many shaken.
Smoke was first noticed in the coach and quickly spread, but thanks to quick action from passengers and railway staff, most people got out safely.
What actually happened?
The train was stopped unexpectedly when someone noticed smoke and pulled the alarm chain.
Railway staff moved fast to evacuate everyone from both coaches.
Firefighters arrived within minutes and managed to control the blaze by 3am while the affected coaches were detached so it wouldn't get worse.
Aftermath and bigger picture
Sadly, 75-year-old Chandrasekhar Sunder lost his life during the evacuation rush.
Officials are investigating what caused the fire.
This incident puts a spotlight on Indian Railways's emergency response systems—which worked well here—but also raises questions about safety gaps in AC coaches that unions say come from undertrained outsourced staff.