Battery Blaze: Lighting Fault Sparks Fire on Grand Trunk Express

A fire on the Delhi-Chennai Grand Trunk Express near Wardha was caused by a defect in the emergency light unit battery, an initial railway probe found. The Electric Train Lighting department at the Chennai Depot was blamed. No injuries occurred, and a full investigation is pending.

An initial railway investigation attributes a fire on the Delhi-Chennai Grand Trunk Express near Wardha to a defective emergency light unit battery in a seating-cum-luggage coach. The report primarily blames the Electric Train Lighting department of Chennai Depot for the incident.

The fire was detected by the staff at Sindi Railway Station on February 17, who noticed smoke emanating from the train's rearmost coach. Initial attempts to alert the guard were unsuccessful but the train was eventually halted when the alarm chain was pulled, allowing staff to combat the blaze with extinguishers.

Inspectors found the emergency light unit's LED and battery melted but with no signs of fire from outside. Responsibility has been attributed to the ETL department, though final judgments await further forensic analysis. Fortunately, no passengers were injured in the event.