2 AC coaches of Hyd-Jaipur train catch fire; no injuries

Hyderabad: A fire broke out in two AC coaches of the Hyderabad-Jaipur Special Express at Hyderabad Deccan Railway Station on Friday evening. No injuries were caused as the train was empty.According to the fire officials, the special train, scheduled to depart at 7.50 pm, was being placed on platform No. 4 when flames were noticed in the B1 coach around 6.25 pm. The fire quickly spread to the adjacent B2 coach. Assistant district fire officer V Bhanu Pratap said the train arrived on the platform between 6.15pm and 6.20pm, and the fire was noticed shortly afterwards. "The B1 coach was completely gutted, while the B2 coach suffered partial damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation," he said.Firefighters from Amberpet and Gowliguda rushed to the spot with three fire engines and a water bowser. The blaze was brought under control in about 40 minutes.South Central Railway’s (SCR) staff also acted swiftly by detaching the affected coaches to prevent the flames from spreading to the remaining rake.“No passengers were inside the coaches. Alternative coaches will be arranged and the train service will continue as scheduled,” officials said, adding that the exact cause will be known after a forensic examination.