Nagpur Station on High Alert After Simultaneous Fires on Petrol Tank Wagon and Platform Roof
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Nagpur, India: A big accident was avoided at Nagpur Railway Station on Sunday when two fires broke out at the same time, making passengers and railway staff panic. One fire started under a petrol tank wagon (BTPN) between platforms 1 and 2, and another fire was seen on the roof of platform 1.
The incident happened around 3:30 pm when the Hyderabad-New Delhi Telangana Express was at platform 1. Passengers ran in fear when they saw flames under the fuel-filled wagon. Some stood and watched as the train moved away from the station before efforts were made to put out the fire.
As a safety measure, railway authorities turned off power at the station for over 20 minutes, which delayed several trains. While firefighters worked on the BTPN wagon fire, thick smoke was seen rising from the roof of platform 1. Many passengers thought the Telangana Express pantry car was on fire, causing more panic. However, railway officials later confirmed that the fire was on the platform’s roof and not on the train.
"The fire on the platform roof was quickly put out using water hydrants," said a railway official. Many passengers left the platform in fear but returned after being assured that the train was safe.
After hearing about the fire, a team from Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) rushed to the station. The train had been loaded with fuel at the Indian Oil depot in Ralan, Nagaland, and was going to Tadali near Chandrapur. "IOCL and Central Railway are investigating the cause of the fire," officials confirmed.
Following a stampede incident at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday, security was already tight at Nagpur station. The number of police officers on duty was increased from 30 to 40, and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) was closely watching from CCTV cameras.
Passengers shared their fear. Nisha Kalantri from Amravati, who was waiting for a train to Prayagraj, said, "Everyone panicked when we saw flames under the petrol tank train. We were really scared." Other passengers, Bhojraj Rathi, Rajesh Rathi, and Rajkumar Rao, also said there was complete chaos at the station.
Senior railway officials, including Divisional Railway Manager Vinayak Garg, Senior Divisional Operations Manager Krishnanath Patil, and RPF Commandant Manoj Kumar, quickly reached the station and managed the situation. To help firefighters, Krishnath Patil ordered the power supply to be turned off for about 25 minutes.
Security officers worked fast to bring the situation under control. GRP officers on platform 1, including Chandrakant Bhoyar, Bhupesh Dhongdi, B R Thakur, and Rishikant Rakhunde, used firefighting tools to put out the flames. Inspector Gaurav Gawande monitored everything, and soon RPF Inspector Satyendra Yadav and his team also helped fight the fire.
Authorities have promised to investigate and take steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
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