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Locked doors & desperation: Jolted from sleep, pilgrims ran for life
The fire ignited at 5:15 am in a “private party coach” carrying 65 passengers from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, as per a Southern Railway statement.
Lucknow A tour turned into a nightmare, according to 65-year-old Shiv Pratap Singh, who recalled the horrifying fire that erupted on a hired tourist coach parked near Madurai railway station early on Saturday. The incident claimed the lives of nine pilgrims en route to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and left over 20 others injured.
The fire ignited at 5:15 am in a “private party coach” carrying 65 passengers from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, as per a Southern Railway statement. The coach was part of a private tour that commenced on August 17 from Lucknow and was set to conclude on August 29. Parked on the Madurai Stabling Line, the coach had been detached from the train when the tragedy unfolded.
An investigation suggests that a leaking LPG cylinder, reportedly brought onboard by passengers illicitly, caused the fire around 5:15 am, as confirmed by an official familiar with the matter. Among the victims, nine have been identified as residents of Uttar Pradesh.
“The nine deceased were identified as -- Parmeshwar Dayal Gupta (55) from Hardoi, Satru Daman Singh (65) and Mithilesh Kumari (62) from Sitapur, Shanti Devi (67) from Kheri, Manaroma Agarwal (80) and Himani Bansal (22) from Lucknow, Ankul Kashyap, 32, Sitapur, Deepak Kashyap, 20, Sitapur, and travel agent Harish Kumar Bhasin, 60, Sitapur,” read the U.P. government statement.
Shiv Pratap Singh (65), a Sitapur resident who lost his wife Mithilesh and brother-in-law Satru in the fire, was among those who were rescued and rushed to the hospital. He expressed, “Our planned tour turned into a nightmare.”
Recalling the moments leading up to the explosion, Singh shared, “Around 4:30 am, as we were asleep, a staff member from the tour operator began making tea, triggering the blast. The flames quickly engulfed the entire coach. Both my wife and brother-in-law sustained severe injuries. We were swiftly transported to the district hospital in Madurai, where they succumbed to their injuries. My sister-in-law and I received first aid and were discharged.”
He added, “I managed to rescue four people, but tragically, I couldn’t save my family members.” He further noted, “My wife was a homemaker, while Shatru, who had retired as a Ziladaar, had a son, Upendra, who holds a gazetted rank in the excise department and is stationed in Gorakhpur.”
Another survivor, Pradeep Gupta from Hardoi, who sustained injuries, shared that his father-in-law, Parmeshwar Dayal Gupta, owned a liquor shop in the Hardoi city area. The family had embarked on the trip to Rameshwaram, but fate had different plans. “My wife managed to escape as she was near the compartment door, which was locked from the other side with a chain that took time to break,” Pradeep recounted, describing the tragic loss of Parmeshwar.
Jyoti Gupta (45), another survivor from Hardoi who was traveling with a group of six people, recounted how passengers struggled to reach safety and had to forcibly open the coach door. “We were awakened by a strong smell, and panic ensued. We attempted to flee, but the doors were locked. We had to break open one of the doors to save ourselves.”
Deepak Gupta (35), a resident of Shastri Nagar in Sitapur, who was part of the pilgrim group in Madurai, recalled the chaotic moments. “Around 5:30 am, as we were preparing tea on a small cooking cylinder, it suddenly caught fire and exploded. Somehow, we managed to escape. It was complete chaos,” he shared. Deepak works as a photographer.
Taking cognisance, U.P. CM Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences for the Madurai train accident. He spoke with the railways minister and announced a ₹2 lakh ex gratia for the kin of all victims. He’s is also monitoring the situation closely for real-time updates.
A government statement emphasized proper treatment for the injured and their swift recovery. Acting on CM Yogi’s directive, the Principal Secretary, Home, took charge. CM Yogi also instructed coordination between local and railway officials to ensure effective treatment for U.P. residents. The government issued a toll-free number, 1070, for inquiries about the Madurai accident.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the railways in a tweet, urging a thorough inquiry into the tragedy and ₹1 crore compensation for the victims’ families.
Naveen Kumar, the relief commissioner, assured that all necessary efforts were being made to provide optimal medical treatment. Discussions were underway to arrange for the transportation of the deceased bodies back to Lucknow via a flight. “Efforts are underway to identify the remaining three bodies. All 64 passengers from U.P. were in the compartment,” stated the official.
The tragic fire incident that occurred in a coach at Madurai railway station in Tamil Nadu early Saturday morning also claimed the life of an elderly woman, Shanti Devi (70), from Kheri. Shanti Devi was traveling with her husband Ram Manohar Verma and grandson Harsh Verma. While Shanti Devi lost her life, her husband and grandson, 22, sustained injuries in the fire.
Niraj Verma, Shanti Devi’s son residing in Kothia village under Shardanagar police limits, recounted that soon after the fire erupted, his father called the family and briefed them about the incident. The group had embarked on the journey along with 12 others from the same locality of Khotni in Kheri.
Reports indicate that 16 individuals from Lakhimpur Kheri district had reserved berths for their religious journey from Lucknow to Rameshwaram, which began on August 17, with the return journey scheduled for August 29. Among the 16 passengers from Lakhimpur, six were from Hathipur locality, four from Kashinagar locality, two from Avas Vikas Colony locality, two from Bhira town in Palia tehsil, and two from Maksoodpur in Mohammadi tehsil.
Additional district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Singh, who interacted with several family members of the Lakhimpur Kheri passengers on the coach, confirmed one reported death, that of Shanti Devi, while the others were reported safe.
{Bright Dreams Cut Short}
Grandmother, daughter among victims in fatal coach fire
Lucknow: Amidst the somber stories of survivors from the tragic coach fire incident near Madurai on Saturday, a heartrending tale emerged of a grandmother and her granddaughter who embarked on a journey that turned into their final farewell.
Himani Bansal, 22, and her grandmother Manorama Agarwal, 80, hailing from the Chowk area of Lucknow, lost their lives in the incident while on their way to Rameswaram.
The bereaved father, Manoj Agarwal, shared, “Both my daughter and my mother had set out on the trip, arranging it through a private agent.” He continued, “Himani had recently earned her MCA degree from Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University, Lucknow, and had even secured a position at an IT company in Gurugram. She displayed exceptional brilliance in her studies and nurtured aspirations of becoming an engineer. She was brimming with excitement to embark on her professional journey.” Manoj Agarwal himself holds a private job in Lucknow.
In a heartrending account, the grieving man who suffered a dual loss in his family conveyed, “When I spoke to them last night around 6 o’clock, as the train was approaching Madurai, they were both eagerly looking forward to visiting Rameswaram, a first for our family.”
Jyoti Gupta, a fellow passenger and survivor from Hardoi, reflected on the vivacious spirit of Himani, sharing, “She was incredibly talkative and radiated enthusiasm, especially in the company of her grandmother.” Gupta lamented the absence of family members to claim the bodies, revealing that the family had been notified but remained in a state of shock.
According to railway authorities, the bodies will be transported via both train and flight, as informed to the aggrieved family. Demanding a thorough investigation, Manoj Agarwal expressed concerns over the presence of the LPG cylinder inside the coach. He also questioned the issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the private tour operator and travellers who engaged in the illicit act of carrying the cylinder.
As survivors continue to recount their harrowing experiences, the incident stands as a grim reminder of the irreplaceable lives lost and the countless dreams left unfulfilled.
(With inputs from Deo Kant Pandey)
