More than 40 persons died and another 15 were injured when three coaches of the Amritsar-bound Frontier Mail from Mumbai caught fire at Ladowal near Ludhiana in Punjab. The fire first broke out in coach S-4 in the early hours of Thursday, 10 minutes after the train left Ludhiana railway station. Within minutes the fire spread to S-3 and S-5, catching the sleeping passengers unawares. Some of them reportedly flung their children from the burning bogies of the running train. Many dead bodies were disfigured beyond recognition, making it difficult for the authorities to ascertain their identities. Relatives had a harrowing time trying to get news of those travelling in the train. A short circuit or a stove blast is suspected to be the cause of the fire.
R.K. Singh, general manager, rail safety, has declared that a compensation of Rs 1 lakh will be given to those who died, while the grievously injured will receive Rs 5,000 each. The Punjab government too has chipped in by announcing that it would bear the cost of treatment of the injured who were immediately admitted to different hospitals in Ludhiana. Union railway minister Nitish Kumar, while ruling out sabotage, has ordered an inquiry into the incident.
By Chander Suta Dogra
