By IANS,
New Delhi : A train fire in Andhra Pradesh earlier this month that claimed 31 lives was caused by the presence of a highly inflammable substance in one of the coaches, according to a report by the railway’s safety commissioner.
“The accident had occurred due to some highly inflammable substance (in liquid or solid form) present in the S-10 coach,” R.P. Agarwal, Commissioner of Railway Safety, South Central Circle, said in his report.
The inflammable substance was kept in the coach by an unidentified person or persons, while the train was running at a speed of 75 km per hour, the report said, adding: “The fire appeared to have originated from the floor level.”
Five coaches of Secunderabad-Kakinada Goutami Express caught fire Aug 1 at 1.15 a.m. while the train was running between Kesamudram and Talapusapalli stations, killing 31 passengers and injuring nine others.