Visakhapatnam, Aug 4: Three air-conditioned coaches of an empty stationary express train were gutted in a fire accident at Visakhapatnam Railway Station on Sunday, police said. 

There were no casualties in the Korba-Visakhapatnam Express (18517) as all the passengers had deboarded by the time the fire was detected.

The train had arrived on platform number four from Chhattisgarh's Korba in the morning and was to depart for Tirupati later.

A railway official said the Korba Express arrived at 6.30 a.m. and had to go for maintenance to the coaching depot. The train was locked and power was shut down, he said.

Railway Protection Force personnel noticed smoke in the B7 coach around 9.20 a.m. and alerted the authorities and fire services. "By then all passengers had deboarded the train after its arrival," said the official.

According to the railway officials, the fire quickly spread to adjoining coaches. The B7 coach was completely gutted while B6 and M1 coaches were partially damaged. Four fire engines rushed to the spot and doused the fire.

Joint Commissioner of Police Fakirappa said there were no casualties in the accident. He said railway officials were conducting an investigation into the cause of the fire.

Barring the damaged coaches, the railway personnel shifted the train to the depot for maintenance.

Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Shankabratha Bagchi visited the railway station. He told media persons that since the coaches had combustible material it took some time for the firefighting personnel to completely douse the fire.

The train was to leave for Tirupati later in the day after maintenance at the depot.

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anita spoke to the Divisional Railway Manager over the phone and enquired about the fire accident.

--IANS
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