CHENNAI: Over 2,000 families in Periyakuppam, Manavala Nagar, and Varatharapuram in the Tiruvallur town area, located 43 km from Chennai, breathed a sigh of relief after a massive fire that broke out in a diesel-laden freight train around 5 am was brought under control after a gruelling seven-hour effort at 2 pm. Panic gripped residents within a 5 km radius of the site due to the thick plumes of smoke and fears of an explosion.
Eighteen tank wagons were completely gutted in the blaze. Each wagon was carrying 48,000 litres of diesel, and an estimated 8.64 lakh litres, valued at approximately Rs. 7.94 crore, was lost in the fire. Meanwhile, the Southern Railway has formed three high-level committees to probe the cause of the incident.
The fire accident occurred around 5.10 am when a freight train comprising 53 Bogie Petrol Tank Wagons (BPTN), transporting diesel for Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) from Chennai Harbour to Mysuru. When the train crossed Tiruvallur station, its third coach from the engine caught fire and subsequently derailed.
On spotting the fire, the loco pilot immediately applied emergency brakes, and the Station Master at Tiruvallur switched off the Overhead Electric (OHE) supply as a safety precaution. Despite these measures, the fire quickly spread up to the 19th wagon. The derailment of the third wagon is suspected to have been caused by a ‘hot axle’ condition, where inadequate lubrication or a mechanical fault causes overheating in the wheel bearing. If not detected in time, the rising temperature can lead to derailment and fire.
As the fire engulfed the coaches, dense black smoke blanketed the surrounding area and triggered panic. The district administration evacuated residents of Varatharapuram and Periyakuppam to nearby marriage halls for safety.
S. Kamatchi, a resident of Varatharapuram, said, “I woke up around 5.15 am feeling breathless. My eyes were burning, and there was thick smoke everywhere. We thought the wagons would explode because of the fumes. We immediately removed LPG cylinders from our houses.”
Another resident, Balaji K., whose house is 1.5 km from Tiruvallur station, said, “By 6.30 am, the strong smell of burning diesel filled the air. Everyone feared a major blast.”
Railway officials confirmed that three committees, including one headed by the ADGP (Railways), will investigate the exact cause. A total of 18 fire tenders, including 9 foam tenders from fire and rescue units across Tiruvallur, Chennai, and neighbouring districts, along with private firms and a petrochemical company, were deployed to douse the flames.
The incident led to the cancellation of 10 express trains from Chennai, severely affecting passengers. However, the locomotive and 30 unaffected wagons were safely detached and moved away from the site. Four trailing wagons were also removed safely, according to an official railway statement.