A freight train carrying crude oil caught fire, which was so massive that the thick plumes from the towering inferno engulfed the locality around Egattur in Tiruvallur district, about 40 km from Chennai, causing panic and evacuation of residents on Sunday morning.
No casualties have been reported so far in the mishap, which occurred when the oil tanker train, transporting crude from Ennore to Jolarpettai, was passing through the Tiruvallur-Egattur section at around 5 am. The area was covered under a thick blanket of smoke. According to initial reports, the derailment of two wagons had triggered the massive fire. However, Southern Railways said that an investigation is underway to ascertain the cause.
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On information, 10 fire tenders rushed to the spot and were engaged in putting out the fire. Four coaches were engulfed in fire, with the flames spreading to other wagons. Five coaches have been detached from the train, and the area has been cordoned off. District Collector M Prathap, who arrived shortly at the site, instructed authorities to evacuate to safety the residents in nearby localities. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Vellore joined the relief and rescue operations.
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Following the mishap, train services were disrupted in the Chennai-Arakkonam sector, inconveniencing thousands of passengers bound for Bengaluru, Coimbatore, Mangaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, and other places on that route. Suburban trains were also partially cancelled and plied up to Avadi.
Among the trains that have been terminated between Arakkonam and Katpadi include Mangalore Mail, Nilgiri Express, Coimbatore Intercity, and Thiruvananthapuram Mail.
Further, eight outbound express trains from Chennai, including Mysuru Shatabdi, Coimbatore Kovai Express, Tirupati Sapthagiri Express, and Bengaluru Double Decker Express, have been cancelled. Four other trains have been redirected via Gudur and Renigunta.
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