Fire guts luggage coach of Margao-Panvel train

Margao: A coach of a train caught fire at the railway yard at Margao on Friday afternoon, gutting a luggage compartment. The Konkan Railway has formed a team to conduct a probe into the incident.

The fire broke out at around 2.50 pm in the last coach of a special train operating on the Madgaon-Panvel route. Margao fire station officer Gill Souza confirmed that the affected coach was a luggage van, and that it was completely gutted. He added that firefighting operations were hampered by poor access to the spot.

Konkan Railway deputy general manager (public relations) Baban Ghatge said, “We are currently investigating the matter and will form a special inquiry team. Whether it was the handiwork of some miscreants, the truth will come to light through the inquiry,” he said. The train runs twice a week on the Margao-Panvel route.

As soon as the fire was reported, the Margao fire brigade was alerted and rushed to the yard.

Ghatge said that since the Konkan Railway corridor is electrified, power supply to the section was promptly cut off. “All the coaches of the stable rack were in locked condition. The burning coach was detached from the rest of the rake, preventing the fire from spreading to other coaches,” Ghatge said.

Railway security personnel also rushed to the yard following the incident, as authorities sought to secure the site and establish the sequence of events that led to the blaze. The extent of damage is yet to be ascertained, Ghatge said.