Helpline Nos: 08663062941 (Kakinada); 09701371062, 09247028390 (Secundarabad), 08663062941 (Vijaywada)

Fifteen passengers including 2 women were killed while Secunderabad-Kakinada Gautami Express caught fire in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh early on Friday morning. One of the two women killed was pregnant while the other was disabled.

Initially the fire broke in one of the sleeper coach, S-9 which later spread to 3 coaches.

“The fire broke in one of the sleeper coaches of the Secunderabad-Kakinada Gautami express near Mehboobabad early this morning,” railway officials said. The fire soon spread to three other coaches, he added.

Four coaches of the train are severely damaged in the accident. A major disaster, however, averted due to the alertness of the railway staff. Train was stopped and passengers are unloaded as soon as fire broke.

Short circuit is told as the possible reason behind the sudden fire in the coach. However, exact cause is not known. Following the incident, several other trains passing through the route were delayed for 2-4 hours.

Many people were injured in the accident. The injured passengers were admitted to a government hospital in Warangal.

Andhra Pradesh minister G Surya Rao, who was also traveling in the ill-fated train, was safe, officials said.

An amount of five lakh is announced as ex-gratia by the Indian Railways for the kin of those who died in the incident. One lakh is announced for the injured. Till now, 15 bodies are recovered. Death toll could rise as the recovery process is still undergoing.