An empty coach of the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express caught fire at Kannur railway station, raising concerns about a potential disaster. The incident occurred at 1:25 am on Thursday while the train was stationary at yard no. 8 near platform no. 3. Experts have noted that the proximity of the burnt coach to a nearby fuel tank heightened the gravity of the situation, with a mere 100-meter gap. Railway officials, including the divisional additional manager (ADRM) Zakir Hussain, emphasized that the cause of the fire can only be determined through forensic examination.
Law enforcement agencies swiftly initiated investigations into the incident. Kerala police launched an inquiry, while the National Investigation Agency (NIA) intervened and sought information from the police. CCTV footage revealed a suspicious individual carrying a canister and approaching the train under the cover of darkness. Railway authorities believe this could potentially be a case of arson, ruling out the possibility of a short-circuit due to the fire igniting after the engine and compartments were separated, as reported by an eyewitness.
Firefighters tirelessly battled the flames for several hours, eventually extinguishing the fire. Unfortunately, the coach was completely destroyed in the process. Fortunately, there have been no reports of casualties. It is worth noting that this incident occurred on the same train where a horrifying incident took place in April. Shahrukh Saifi, a resident of Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, had set the D1 compartment of the Executive Express ablaze, resulting in three deaths and nine people suffering from burn injuries near Elathur in Kozhikode.
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