Fire in coal wagons doused at Bokaro Thermal railway station

Bokaro: A major mishap was averted at Bokaro Thermal railway station on Sunday morning after smoke and flames were spotted in coal-laden wagons of a goods train, prompting railway authorities to halt the rake and cut off overhead power supply.The incident occurred around 6am on platform number 1, when railway staff noticed smoke coming from five wagons. Flames were also seen in one wagon, raising concern that the fire could spread to the rest of the train.The goods train, loaded with coal from Kathara railway siding, was headed to the NTPC-linked Thermal Power Plant at Nabinagar in Bihar.Station superintendent Shailesh Kumar said the train was stopped immediately and the DVC-CISF fire unit was alerted. CISF sub-inspector Rajiv Kumar and the fire team reached the spot and began firefighting operations. As a precaution, the OHE power supply at the station was switched off.The CISF team doused the flames and prevented the fire from spreading to other wagons.Officials suspect smouldering coal from a stockpile fire at Kathara Colliery may have been inadvertently loaded into the rake and intensified after coming into contact with air during transportation.“The exact cause of the fire and the extent of damage, if any, are yet to be ascertained,” a railway official said.Stay updated with the latest Ranchi news. Download the TOI App.