Metro passengers panicked on Saturday afternoon as a minor fire purportedly broke out on the roof of the busy Rajiv Chowk Metro station. The fire alarm was activated and the station, a main interchange, had to be closed for a brief period. Passengers were evacuated. Thankfully no casualty or major loss was reported. This is the second such incident in ten days.
On April 11, passengers noticed sparks and smoke emitting from the last coach of a moving Metro train from Jahangirpuri to HUDA City Centre (Yellow line). The train was halted between the two Metro stations and passengers were deboarded.
The PVC mat on the roof of Rajiv Chowk Metro station had reportedly caught fire. “Four fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the situation was brought under control in 20 minutes,” said a senior official of the fire department. Even though the cause of fire could not be established for certain, police officials claim a cigarette butt found lying near the mat could have started it.
Police also said smoke was emanating from the fire on a floor mat outside the station’s gate no.1 and set off the alarm. The smoke entered the station, which led to panic among commuters.
“As a precautionary measure, the station was closed at 1.22 pm and reopened at 1.28 pm,” said a DMRC spokesperson. The spokesperson further claimed that the smoke could have emanated from a PVC floor mat outside the gate in Central Park, which too opens into the station toward B Block. Police officials seized all entry and exit points to the Metro station. Incidentally Fire Safety Week is being observed by Delhi Metro from April 14-20.
