Friends of the Rail Forum

India investigates train fire that killed 7

AP foreign, Wednesday November 23 2011
Guardian

NEW DELHI, India (AP) — Forensic investigators are trying to determine what caused a fire that engulfed two train cars and killed seven passengers including an Australian researcher in the Indian state of Jharkhand.

The fire broke out before dawn Tuesday as the express train was traveling from Kolkata to the north Indian city of Dehradun. The train's drivers managed detach the two blazing cars from the rest of the train, but were unable to save seven people who died from suffocation or burns.

Officials say the victims include a 4-year-old girl and a 21-year-old Australian woman who was traveling with three fellow researchers, who survived.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda expressed condolences Wednesday and concern over India's high number of railway mishaps.

Survivor Says India Train Fire Was Deliberate

5:31am UK, Wednesday November 23, 2011 Sky News

An Australian woman who survived a deadly fire on board a train in India says she believes the blaze was started deliberately.

Seven passengers died when the train caught fire while travelling through a remote area in the east of the country.

The woman, who is part of a group of research scholars, told NDTV she suspected foul play:

"Someone had poured like petrol or something and lit it on the lane because it was just like a line of fire near where our beds were and I just woke up and jumped out of my bed and then saw smoke everywhere,"

It was thought that the fire was started after a heater which blew up however The Australian newspaper says authorities have not ruled out the possibility the fire might have been deliberately lit by "miscreants".

One of her colleagues was killed in the blaze. Two others, who are in their 20s, are reportedly being treated in hospital for burns and smoke inhalation.

The group, from Tasmania, were en route to the Buddhist holy city of Bodh Gaya.

Staff said one of the injured women was able to talk to nurses but was unable to remember much of what had happened.

A fourth Australian woman is still missing and in total, more than 30 people have been injured in the fire.