Key Points

A goods train carrying diesel caught fire near Tiruvallur station, disrupting rail operations. Southern Railway issued helpline numbers and suspended EMU services as a safety measure. Several express trains from Chennai Central were cancelled due to the incident. Firefighters and railway officials are working to contain the blaze and restore normal services.

Key Points: Southern Railway issues helpline after Tiruvallur goods train fire

  • Diesel-carrying freight train catches fire near Tiruvallur station
  • Southern Railway suspends EMU services as safety precaution
  • Multiple express trains cancelled from Chennai Central
  • Firefighters and officials working to restore normal operations
2 min read

Tiruvallur fire: Southern Railway issues helpline numbers for passengers, efforts underway to douse flames

Southern Railway suspends EMU services after diesel-carrying freight train catches fire near Tiruvallur, issues passenger helpline numbers

"Passengers are requested to plan their journey accordingly. For updates and assistance, please contact the following helpline numbers - Southern Railway"

Tiruvallur, July 13

Southern Railway issued helpline numbers for passengers seeking guidance after a goods train carrying diesel caught fire near Tiruvallur Railway Station in the Southern Railway on Sunday morning, railway officials said.

The fire spread over to the last three wagons of the train, leading to major disruptions in railway operations.

"Passengers are requested to plan their journey accordingly. For updates and assistance, please contact the following helpline numbers: 044-25354151, 044-24354995," Southern Railway said in an official statement.

https://x.com/GMSRailway/status/1944251829304668340

Officials said that as a precautionary and safety measure, the OHE power supply was switched off and all EMU local train services in the Chennai-Arakkonam section were temporarily suspended.

Visuals from the spot showed a diesel tanker on the freight train engulfed in massive flames, with thick black smoke rising from the blaze. Efforts are on to contain the fire, officials said.

Fire and rescue services, along with railway officials, were immediately deployed and are making efforts to douse the fire. Officials stated that restoration work is in progress, and normal train operations will resume at the earliest.

"Due to a fire incident near Tiruvallur, overhead power has been switched off as a safety measure. This has led to changes in train operations. Passengers are advised to check the latest updates before travel," Southern Railway said in an official statement.

Several trains, including those scheduled to depart from Dr MGR Chennai Central station, were cancelled or affected.

This includes the following trains: Dr MGR Chennai Central - Nagarsol Express, Dr MGR Chennai Central KSR Bengaluru Brindavan Superfast Express, Dr MGR Chennai Central - KSR Bengaluru Double Decker Express, and Dr MGR Chennai Central Tirupali Saptagiri Express, all scheduled to depart.

Dr MGR Chennai Central, Dr MGR Chennai Central-Coimbatore Shatabdi Express, scheduled to leave Dr MGR Chennai Central, Dr MGR Chennai Central Coimbatore Kovai Superfast Express, scheduled to leave Dr MGR Chennai Central and Dr MGR Chennai Central - Mysuru Vande Bharat Express, the Southern Railways said.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Why are we still transporting hazardous materials like diesel through populated areas? This is the 3rd incident this year in Tamil Nadu alone. Need better safety protocols!
A
Arjun K
Stuck at Chennai Central since morning. Appreciate the railway staff helping passengers with alternatives. But wish information boards showed real-time updates instead of just "delayed"...
P
Priya S
The fire brigade response time was impressive - reached within 20 mins as per local reports. Hats off to our emergency services! 👏 Hope normalcy returns soon.
V
Vikram M
Cancelled my important business meeting in Bengaluru because of this. While I understand safety concerns, railway infrastructure needs major upgrades to prevent such disruptions.
N
Nisha Z
The Twitter updates from @GMSRailway were very helpful. More govt departments should use social media effectively during emergencies like this. Good initiative!
K
Karthik V
Saw the smoke from my apartment 5km away! Terrifying sight. Hope the railway workers dealing with this are getting proper protective gear. Diesel fires are no joke.

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