A fire broke out in the Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram Malabar express around 7.45 am today at Edava near Varkala in Kerala. After passengers saw the fire and smoke coming from the parcel bogey behind the engine compartment, they pulled the emergency brake and stopped the train. Importantly, no one was hurt in the incident.
Reportedly, the fire started on two vehicles that were inside the luggage compartment. The passengers and nearby people tried to combat the fire with facilities within the train, however, it didn’t work and they tried to bring in reinforcements. The railway authorities arrived, and they have said that the fire has been brought under control.
While the source of the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be determined, they have added that there are no casualties, as the fire force has completely put out the fire. The authorities have detached the luggage coach from the train, while the passengers were evacuated. However, the incident has affected train traffic in and around the area, as the Malabar Express was on its way to Thiruvananthapuram before it happened.
