A fire broke out in the rear bogie of a Mumbai monorail at 5.30 am on Thursday, 9 November. No casualties were reported. Two coaches were damaged and services have been disrupted.
The fire broke out as the train was enroute Wadala to Chembur, reports Mumbai Mirror. The motorman noticed the smoke emanating from the bogie at Mysore Colony, one of the stops. There were very few passengers on the train owing to the early hour, making it easier to douse the blaze.
Dilip Kawathkar, Joint Project Director (PR), MMRDA, told Mumbai Mirror that the blaze was extinguished by firemen using one big and one small hose line of three fire engines, after disconnecting electric supply of monorail car and track. He added that the fire was doused by 6 am.
Three fire brigade vehicles were sent to the spot and the fire is under control now.Dilip Kawathkar, Joint Project Director (PR), MMRDA
Officials have suggested that the fire broke out due to a short circuit. However, the Metropolitan Commissioner has decided to pass the order for an enquiry to be conducted by an independent committee, to determine the exact cause of fire. It has also ordered a full check up of all the Monorail trains.
Mumbai currently has one monorail line which runs along a nine-km route, between Chembur and Wadala, covering seven stations between 5am to midnight, daily.
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(With inputs from Mumbai Mirror and NDTV)
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