KOCHI: The Vande Bharat Express from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod halted at Aluva station at 8.55 am for 25 minutes when smoke filled the C5 cabin. The smoke was detected while the train was between Kalamassery and Aluva railway station. The passengers were evacuated.
According to the public relations officer of the Thiruvananthapuram division, the smoke arose from the fire extinguishing system kept inside the lavatory. "The system has been set up to go off on even a slight detection of fire and since smoke is considered to be a part of a fire, the extinguisher went off," said the PRO.
"It is being thought that someone might have lighted a cigarette inside the lavatory triggering the extinguisher. However, more details can be arrived after the CCTV footage inside the coach is analysed," said the PRO.
"As soon as the smoke was detected, the train was stopped and the passengers evacuated. After a thorough check to negate any sort of fire or gas leakage, the train was cleared for its onward journey. The train left Aluva station at 9:20 am," he added.
No passenger suffered any health problems due to the smoke, the official said, adding that any delay caused by the stoppage at Aluva would be covered up., as reported by PTI.