Tamil Nadu train fire: UP CM Adityanath announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for kin of deceased

Pic/PTI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday expressed grief over the deaths in a fire that broke out inside a stationary train compartment at the Madurai railway station in Tamil Nadu.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of people from Uttar Pradesh who died in the Tamil Nadu train fire incident.

At least nine people were "reported dead" in the fire inside the train compartment.

"Instructions have been given to provide an ex-gratia amount of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of every citizen of Uttar Pradesh who died in this accident," the chief minister said on X, formerly Twitter.

"The loss of lives in the unfortunate train accident in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is extremely sad and heart-wrenching. My condolences are with the bereaved families," he said.

In a statement, the Uttar Pradesh government said the chief minister spoke to the railway minister, and took details about the Tamil Nadu train fire incident.

On X, Adityanath also said that instructions have been given to authorities to ensure that the injured receive proper treatment. A toll-free number 1070 has also been issued for quick assistance, he said. The Uttar Pradesh also mentioned 9454441081 and 9454441075 as helpline numbers.

The Southern Railways in a statement said that the fire broke out at 5.15 am on Saturday and fire service personnel put it out by 7.15 am.

While the Southern Railway initially put the toll at 10, it later revised it to nine.

The fire broke out at 5.15 am on Saturday and Fire service personnel who arrived at the spot half an hour later put down the blaze by 7.15 am, a Southern Railway release said.

"This is a private party coach that was attached at Nagercoil Junction yesterday (Aug 25) by train no. 16730 (Punalur-Madurai Exp). Party coach was detached and kept at Madurai Stabling line. The passengers in the private party coach have....smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire," the release said.

The party coach had started the journey from Lucknow on August 17, scheduled to return to Chennai on Sunday and proceed to the UP capital from there on, it added.

"While the coach was stabled/parked, some members of the party in the private party coach were using the illegally smuggled cooking gas cylinder unauthorisedly for preparing tea/snacks, which caused the fire in the stabled/parked coach. Most of the passengers could get out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers had already got down at platform also before detachment of coach," it added.

The private party had illegally carried gas cylinder, stove and other inflammable articles "which led to the freak fire accident," it said.

(With inputs from PTI)