WATCH: Four coaches damaged in fire at Visakhapatnam Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh

On the morning of 4 August 2024, four AC coaches of the Visakhapatnam-Korba Express caught on fire at Visakhapatnam Railway Station. The incident occurred shortly after the train arrived at the station. Four AC coaches – M1, B6, B7, B8 – were caught in the fire. Smoke filled the platform.

According to some, the fire may have started due to a short circuit in coach B8, after which it spread to the other coaches. However, the reason has not been confirmed. All coaches were engulfed in flames. Railway Protection Forces personnel promptly responded to the incident and controlled the fire.

The Fire Department was alerted, and firefighters arrived at the scene to curb the flames. The affected coaches have been separated from the train.

The train was reportedly bound to Tirumala, and was at a halt in Visakhapatnam. As it was at a halt, passengers were moving in and out of the train, which enabled Railway authorities to evacuate them immediately. Fortunately, no lives were harmed in the accident. Railway officials assured that everyone in close perimeters was safely restricted from having access to the area.

Presently, the fire has been brought under under control. Further information regarding the cause of the fire is yet to be disclosed, as the incident is under investigation.

Other accidents in Visakhapatnam

This is not the only fire accident to have troubled Visakhapatnam this month. On 29 July 2024, a huge fire broke out at Medicover Hospital, triggering panic among patients and their relatives. Fortunately, all the people present in the hospital were safe and there were no injuries. According to hospital sources, the fire originated from a short circuit in the battery room. Upon receiving the alert, fire department personnel promptly arrived and extinguished the flames, preventing the fire from spreading to other parts of the hospital. Dr Padmaja, the hospital head, confirmed that the fire was contained within the battery room.

Last month, a battery of a ventilator at the ICU ward in the CSR block of King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam exploded, causing an accident post-midnight on 17 June 2024, causing panic among patients. Following the explosion of the battery, smoke spread to the entire ward at KGH, making patients in the room panicky. Reacting immediately, doctors in the ward got the patients shifted to the surgical ICU where all of them were safe.