10 dead in train fire near Madurai station, passengers sneaked in gas cylinders
A fire broke out in a tourist coach of a train that was en route from Lucknow to Rameshwaram near Madurai railway station, leaving ten people dead.
The blaze was reported at nearly 5.15 am inside a private party coach, while the train was parked at the Madurai yard.

The adjacent coaches of the train did not suffer any damage as the fire tenders were immediately called in and the blaze was doused by nearly 7 am.

Madurai district collector M S Sangeetha, who rushed to the station to enquire, said 10 persons were killed in the fire accident in the train compartment. 20 others with injuries have been admitted to a hospital for treatment. An ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh will be given to the family of the deceased, said the Southern Railway.

“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 illegally smuggled gas cylinder and this has caused the fire. Many passengers had got out of the coach on noticing fire. Some passengers had got down at platform itself,” the release said.