The passengers in the B2 air-conditioned coach in the Samaleswari Express from Howrah to Koraput got panicked when they spotted fire in the coach in the morning on Friday between Rourkela and Jharsuguda coming under the Chakradharpur Division of the South Eastern Railway.
There was profuse smoke inside the coach, for which the passengers felt unsafe. However, the coach attendant immediately disconnected the electricity connection and brought the situation under control. “Electrical short circuit is believed to be the reason of the fire,” unofficial sources said.
Most surprisingly, the firefighting equipments in the coach were found nonfunctioning.
When the train reached the Sambalpur station, senior railway officials verified the coach and decided to change it. After it was done, the train left for Koraput, sources said.
But many passengers expressed utter dissatisfaction since no senior officials visited the coach at Jharsuguda although it is a major station.
Moreover, no senior officials responded to the phone calls for further clarifications regarding the incident.