BELIEVERS all over the world are urged to pray for the families of people who perished in a fire accident on a train in India on Monday.
At least 42 people were reportedly killed and 25 injured after a sleeper coach (S11) of the Delhi-Chennai Tamil Nadu Express caught fire near Nellore in Andhra Pradesh at around 4.45am.
Twenty-six passengers were rescued from the coach S 11 which was completely gutted, Nellore collector Sridhar said.
Indian Railways has announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the families of dead, Rs 1 lakh for major injuries and Rs 25,000 for minor injuries.
However, the families of the victims will need prayer support at this hour of crisis.
Reports said a short circuit near the toilet in the train could have caused the blaze. At the time of the accident, the train was reportedly moving at a speed of 110 km/hour. It was going to Chennai from Delhi.
As the train was passing through Nellore, which is about 150 kms from Chennai, some people noticed the fire and informed railway authorities. The passengers were asleep when the fire broke out at around 4.30 am.
The accident occurred between Nellore and Vedayapalem railway stations on the Vijayawada-Gudur Section of Vijayawada Division. The train was just over a kilometre from the Nellore station when flames leaped out of the coach. A passenger pulled the chain and halted the train, The Hindu reported.
Fire tenders were pressed into service, but the coach was burnt within no time. The fire was put out by 5.20 a.m., an official release said. The bogie was isolated and taken to platform no. 3 at the Nellore railway station. Rescue personnel used oxy-acytelane cutters to clear the bogie.
Indian Railways has set up the following helpline numbers.
Secunderabad 040-27786723/27700868/27786539,
Nellore 0861-2345863/2345864/2345866.
Vijayawada 0866-2576924/2575038/2576796/25761072
Warangal 0870-2426232/097013-37106.
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