A midnight journey turned into a nightmare on Monday when a massive fire broke out in two air-conditioned coaches of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express, claiming the life of an elderly passenger and leaving hundreds stranded.
A 70-year-old man was killed and over 150 passengers had a narrow escape after a fire erupted in the B1 and M2 AC coaches of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) in the early hours of Monday (December 29, 2025). The incident happened around 12:45 AM as the train was approaching Yelamanchili Railway Station in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district, about 66 km from Visakhapatnam.
The fire spread quickly through the two coaches, which were right next to the pantry car.
- The Victim: The deceased has been identified as Chandrasekhar Sundaram (70), a resident of Vijayawada. He was reportedly trapped in the B1 coach and died from burns while trying to evacuate.
- Heroic Response: Railway officials praised the quick thinking of the Travelling Ticket Examiner and coach attendants, who woke up sleeping passengers and told them to get off immediately as thick smoke filled the compartments.
- Safety Measures: As a precaution, the affected B1 and M2 coaches, along with a third AC coach (M1), were detached to stop the blaze from reaching the rest of the train or a nearby goods train on the parallel track.
- Stranded Passengers: Nearly 150 passengers from the burned coaches were taken to Samalkot Railway Station by APSRTC buses, where replacement coaches were attached to continue the journey to Ernakulam.
Preliminary findings by South Central Railway suggest something unusual about this fire. While most train fires start in electrical panels, investigators think this one started in the linen storage area. Two forensic teams and the Commissioner of Railway Safety are currently on-site collecting evidence and trying to figure out exactly what sparked the disaster.
Official Helpline Numbers
To help families and provide updates, South Central Railway has set up the following helplines:
- Yelamanchili: 7815909386
- Anakapalle: 7569305669
- Tuni: 7815909479
- Samalkot: 7382629990
- Vijayawada: 0866–2575167
- Ernakulam Junction: 9746718335, +91 91885 23902
“The loco pilot stopped the train immediately and enabled mass evacuation. Displaying presence of mind, the TTE and coach attendants alerted all passengers to deboard the train,” Mohit Sonakiya, DRM Vijayawada Division, said.
“One passenger named Sundar lost his life while rescuing himself… FSL teams are gathering evidence for further probe,” DIG Railways Satya Yesubabu confirmed.
The incident comes at a time when railway safety protocols in India are under increased scrutiny. While a mass casualty situation was avoided because the train was close to a station, the complete destruction of passenger luggage and the loss of life highlight ongoing problems with AC coach fire safety and materials.
Also Read / Train Services Disrupted in Delhi as Two Coaches Derail at Shakur Basti.
Leave a comment