An inquiry into the Madurai train coach fire incident, which took nine lives, will begin on Sunday under the Southern Circle Railway Safety Commissioner. According to a statement issued by the chief public relations officer of Southern Railway, the inquiry would commence in the DRM’s conference Hall at the Divisional Railway Manager’s office Complex, Madurai to figure out the exact cause of the accident.
"A.M. Chowdhary, Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, Bengaluru, A.M.Chowdhary, will hold a Statutory Inquiry into the incident of Fire at about 05.15 hrs on 26th August 2023 involving IRCTC Tourist Coach (NE Railway – NE – CN 113210) Stabled in Madurai Railway Station Yard," read the official statement from CPRO, Southern Railway.
The Railway also urged the public to share any information or evidence they may have related to the incident at the DRM’s Conference Hall, Divisional Railway Manager’s Office Complex, Madurai, on Sunday or write to the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Southern Circle, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu forensic experts continued their investigation for the second day.
At least 9 people were killed and 8 were gravely injured after a fire broke out inside a ‘private party coach’ attached to the Punalur-Madurai Express parked on Lane near Madurai railway station on Saturday morning.
Southern Railway said that an FIR has been lodged and that the culprits involved in the Madurai Train fire incident will face the 'full force of the law'. It also said a gas cylinder "illegally" taken inside the coach led to the blaze.
The nine pilgrims were on their way to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu from Lucknow last week, with the majority of them hailing from the Uttar Pradesh city and its surrounding districts.
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