Three railway personnel were killed when the Howrah-Jagadalpur Samaleshwari Express' engine caught fire on Tuesday, 25 June. The accident occurred when the train rammed into a tower car which was engaged in repair work between Singapur Road and Keutguda in Odisha's Rayagada district.
The deceased have been identified as Sagar, a senior section engineer (electrical), Gouri Naidu, an electrical technician, and Suresh, a technician of the maintenance tower.
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE ACCIDENT
All the three deceased were engaged in the maintenance tower car when the accident took place between Singapur Road and Keutaguda, East Coast Railway (ECoR), spokesperson J P Mishra told PTI.
A maintenance tower car is used for the inspection and the maintenance of overhead electric transmission equipment of electrified routes.
The incident happened after the engine, the front guard-cum-luggage van and a general second class coach of the 18005 Howrah-Jagdalpur Express got derailed after hitting the tower car, Mishra told PTI.
The engine caught fire and was detached from the rake, he said. The coaches and passengers were not affected by the fire as only the engine sustained damage in the incident.
WHAT ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN?
The Railways has ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner of Railway Safety, Kolkata and the Board has sought full details of the accident.
The Commissioner of Railway Safety is an independent statutory authority under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The station masters on duty at Keutguda and Singapur Road are facing suspension, the spokesperson said.
A fire brigade and an ambulance were sent to the site and senior officers from Visakhapatnam also rushed to the spot, he added.
Two buses were engaged to transport the passengers of the train to Jagdalpur and arrangements to provide them with food were made, he said.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS )
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