Tirupati: Panic spread at Tirupati railway station after a fire broke out in stationary train coaches near the premises. The blaze first erupted in a coach of a train that had arrived from Hisar in Rajasthan, engulfing the compartment in flames. The fire then spread to the generator coach of the adjacent Rayalaseema Express, which was stationed on a nearby track.

While multiple coaches of the Hisar–Tirupati train were completely gutted, the generator coach of the Rayalaseema Express sustained partial damage.

Railway authorities immediately took emergency measures after the incident was noticed. Preliminary reports suggest the fire is now under control, and no injuries have been reported so far.
 

This incident comes close on the heels of another train fire reported a day earlier in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu. A goods train travelling from Chennai to Andhra Pradesh caught fire around 5.30 am on Saturday. The wagons carrying diesel fuel were engulfed in flames, severely disrupting rail traffic between Arakkonam and Chennai. The accident occurred near a densely populated area.

Initial information indicates that the train caught fire following a fuel leak that occurred after three wagons derailed.

While the exact causes behind the fires are still under investigation, the fact that two such incidents occurred in quick succession has raised concerns. Speculations are now rife about whether sabotage could be involved.