Railway Safety and Fire Analysis

Recently, a fire erupted on the Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express near Yelamanchili. Though the train had no scheduled stop, the loco pilots applied emergency brakes and then shifted it from the main line to a loop line as a safety measure.

Role of Infrastructure in Passenger Evacuation

• Loop Line: A loop line is an extra track at a station used to move trains out of the way, similar to a service lane on a highway.
• Safe Evacuation Enabled by Infrastructure: Since the loop line at Yelamanchili was adjacent to a platform, passengers were able to step out safely rather than jump from a height—this significantly minimised injuries, although one death was tragically reported.
• Staff as First Responders: Train staff, including the coach mechanic, the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE), and bedroll staff, acted as first responders. They used portable fire extinguishers to prevent the fire from spreading beyond two air-conditioned coaches.
  

Safety Trends and the Underlying Concern

• Improvement in Overall Safety: There has been a 70% reduction in total railway accidents since 2014.
• Persisting Severity of Major Accidents: Despite fewer accidents overall, the severity of major incidents remains high, as highlighted by cases such as the Balasore collision.
• Share of Fire-Related Accidents: Fires account for 10% to 20% of all railway accidents.
  This means that roughly one in every five railway accidents is fire-related.
  

Major Causes of Train Fires

• Rolling Stock Defects: Defects such as poor wiring, short circuits, or jammed braking systems can create sparks and lead to fires.
• Maintenance Failures: Inadequate lubrication increases friction between wheels, which can eventually spark a fire.
• Passenger Negligence: Passengers often carry flammable items, such as gas cylinders, stoves, or crackers, in violation of regulations. In 2023, a fire in a Madurai train was caused by passengers cooking inside a coach.
• Risks in AC Coaches: Air-conditioned coaches are sealed environments. When a fire occurs, poor ventilation can lead to rapid smoke accumulation and increase the risk of suffocation.
  

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Proposed Solutions and Modernisation Measures

• Existing Safety Technology: Around 20,000 air-conditioned coaches have been fitted with smoke detection sensors.
• Shift Towards Automatic Fire Suppression: There is a need to move from manual firefighting to automatic suppression systems. Such systems can spray gas or foam immediately upon detecting smoke, instead of waiting for human intervention.
• Kakodkar Committee Recommendations: The Kakodkar Committee (2012) recommended modernising rolling stock and upgrading railway tracks. It also advised using fire-retardant materials for seats and curtains.
• Enforcement and Awareness: There is a critical need to educate passengers. Strict enforcement of the ban on carrying inflammable substances into stations or trains is essential.
  

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