KOLKATA: The worst nightmare of Metro commuters got here true on Thursday night time when an AC train stuck hearth in the tunnel, triggering panic among trapped passengers. Commuters again and again kicked the toughened glass windows to damage them in a desperate bid to flee the smoke chamber. One individual fractured his leg while jumping out. Several fell sick after breathing in smoke while others have been in shock and trauma. Around 47 folks have been taken to close by hospitals. A identical incident had passed off 8 years ago.
Metro has ordered a high degree inquiry. Initial probe suggests the fire may have been sparked by a brief circuit in the air con system beneath the second one coach.
Passengers looking ahead to the Dum Dum-bound train at Netaji Bhavan station first spotted sparks flying from the undercarriage when the rake rolled in at four.50pm. It was once shortly after the train pulled out of the following station, Rabindra Sadan, that the location took a flip for the more severe. The train began to shake violently as it entered the tunnel and passengers in the first two coaches noticed sparks fly.
“Suddenly, there was once a loud noise and smoke began to hurry into the compartment. Within seconds, the entire compartment had been full of smoke,” stated Jadavpur Univeristy pupil Chandak Chatterjee, who was once stationed between coaches 1 and a couple of. “There was once such a lot smoke that I couldn’t see past a couple of feet. Everyone began coughing violently. Some ladies began to wail. Someone instructed everyone to move in opposition to coach number three and past. Then there was once a mad scramble,” recounted Chatterjee.
Shyamal Chatterjee, who works in a private company, dialled the Metro helpline again and again but the line was once engaged. He then dialled 100 and got thru at the second one attempt. The policemen who took the decision asked him not to panic and assured him rescuers have been on the method.
But with the mins ticking and smoke beginning to snake in the course of the train, panic persevered to rise. Some passengers then attempted to ruin the window.
When the toughened glass foiled their attempts, some of them pulled down an overhead handrail to ruin a window.
Trapped riders livid over tardy reaction, Metro denies extend
Passenger Shyamal Chatterjee stated, “It took 8 folks to wrench out the overhead rod and damage the glass. When the glass finally shattered, the smoke rushed out. I jumped out and landed on the slim sidewalk however most couldn’t as it was once a steep drop. They needed to wait till assist arrived. All the while, I prayed that the fire beneath the carriage did not unfold.” One Major Sharma, who additionally jumped out, fell awkwardly and fractured his ankle.
“It was once just about an eight-foot drop. My wife and 10-year-old daughter would undoubtedly have got hurt had they jumped. Some folks who got out due to this fact held hands to act as a safety net and stuck them once they jumped,” recounted Ritesh Raul, a Kharagpur-based businessman who had introduced his family to excursion Kolkata and got stuck in the incident.
It was once handiest after power to the third rail was once switched off around 5.15 pm that rescuers arrived. The first on the spot have been passengers who have been waiting to board the train at Rabindra Sadan station and had observed hearth bounce out from beneath the rake after it stopped around 120 metre away. Metro sources stated it took just about an hour to evacuate just about 1,800 passengers on the train.
“All passengers have been evacuated by 6 pm. There have been no casualties or injuries. Some folks complained of respiring trouble and have been shifted to sanatorium. There was once no extend in the start of evacuation,” Metro CPRO Indrani Banerjee stated.
While Metro claimed it had carried out the rescue operations efficiently without any individual getting hurt, offended passengers who had spent over an hour in the cluastrophobic coaches without power stated the reaction of the government was once not on time tardy. “It was once fellow passengers who got here to our rescue first. Metro officers have been nowhere to be observed till much later,” stated non-public company executive Anjan Basu. Personnel from the Disaster Management Force of Kolkata Police additionally arrived in the scene and lent a hand in the rescue operation.
Fire minister Sujit Bose, who rushed to the spot, received court cases from several passengers on Metro’s not on time reaction. “It is as much as Metro to probe if there was once any lacunae in their reaction. But all I can say at this point of time is if a fireplace happens, it has to be handled quickly,” he stated.
Metro government in addition to state hearth division are probing the incident. “The hearth is being probed. We are chatting with Metro government in regards to the actual cause of fireplace and what may also be achieved to verify protection of passengers,” stated hearth services and products director normal Jagmohan.
Metro has ordered a high degree inquiry. Initial probe suggests the fire may have been sparked by a brief circuit in the air con system beneath the second one coach.
Passengers looking ahead to the Dum Dum-bound train at Netaji Bhavan station first spotted sparks flying from the undercarriage when the rake rolled in at four.50pm. It was once shortly after the train pulled out of the following station, Rabindra Sadan, that the location took a flip for the more severe. The train began to shake violently as it entered the tunnel and passengers in the first two coaches noticed sparks fly.
“Suddenly, there was once a loud noise and smoke began to hurry into the compartment. Within seconds, the entire compartment had been full of smoke,” stated Jadavpur Univeristy pupil Chandak Chatterjee, who was once stationed between coaches 1 and a couple of. “There was once such a lot smoke that I couldn’t see past a couple of feet. Everyone began coughing violently. Some ladies began to wail. Someone instructed everyone to move in opposition to coach number three and past. Then there was once a mad scramble,” recounted Chatterjee.
Shyamal Chatterjee, who works in a private company, dialled the Metro helpline again and again but the line was once engaged. He then dialled 100 and got thru at the second one attempt. The policemen who took the decision asked him not to panic and assured him rescuers have been on the method.
But with the mins ticking and smoke beginning to snake in the course of the train, panic persevered to rise. Some passengers then attempted to ruin the window.
When the toughened glass foiled their attempts, some of them pulled down an overhead handrail to ruin a window.
Trapped riders livid over tardy reaction, Metro denies extend
Passenger Shyamal Chatterjee stated, “It took 8 folks to wrench out the overhead rod and damage the glass. When the glass finally shattered, the smoke rushed out. I jumped out and landed on the slim sidewalk however most couldn’t as it was once a steep drop. They needed to wait till assist arrived. All the while, I prayed that the fire beneath the carriage did not unfold.” One Major Sharma, who additionally jumped out, fell awkwardly and fractured his ankle.
“It was once just about an eight-foot drop. My wife and 10-year-old daughter would undoubtedly have got hurt had they jumped. Some folks who got out due to this fact held hands to act as a safety net and stuck them once they jumped,” recounted Ritesh Raul, a Kharagpur-based businessman who had introduced his family to excursion Kolkata and got stuck in the incident.
It was once handiest after power to the third rail was once switched off around 5.15 pm that rescuers arrived. The first on the spot have been passengers who have been waiting to board the train at Rabindra Sadan station and had observed hearth bounce out from beneath the rake after it stopped around 120 metre away. Metro sources stated it took just about an hour to evacuate just about 1,800 passengers on the train.
“All passengers have been evacuated by 6 pm. There have been no casualties or injuries. Some folks complained of respiring trouble and have been shifted to sanatorium. There was once no extend in the start of evacuation,” Metro CPRO Indrani Banerjee stated.
While Metro claimed it had carried out the rescue operations efficiently without any individual getting hurt, offended passengers who had spent over an hour in the cluastrophobic coaches without power stated the reaction of the government was once not on time tardy. “It was once fellow passengers who got here to our rescue first. Metro officers have been nowhere to be observed till much later,” stated non-public company executive Anjan Basu. Personnel from the Disaster Management Force of Kolkata Police additionally arrived in the scene and lent a hand in the rescue operation.
Fire minister Sujit Bose, who rushed to the spot, received court cases from several passengers on Metro’s not on time reaction. “It is as much as Metro to probe if there was once any lacunae in their reaction. But all I can say at this point of time is if a fireplace happens, it has to be handled quickly,” he stated.
Metro government in addition to state hearth division are probing the incident. “The hearth is being probed. We are chatting with Metro government in regards to the actual cause of fireplace and what may also be achieved to verify protection of passengers,” stated hearth services and products director normal Jagmohan.
47 fall ill as Kolkata metro catches fire
![47 fall ill as Kolkata metro catches fire]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
December 28, 2018
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