Train services affected as goods train ferrying oil catches fire at Tiruvallur
Train services on the Chennai-Arakkonam rail route, which also links Chennai with Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, were hit after a moving goods train carrying diesel caught fire on Sunday at Tiruvallur.
A railway official said that while partial restoration of services will be over by midnight, they will be fully restored early on Monday.
Since the train services were hit, state transport corporations operated over 170 special services.
State Minister (Minorities and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare) S.M. Nasar, along with officials, made an inspection. In view of the blaze and smoke, people living close to the location of the fire accident were taken to shelters.
According to officials, no casualties were reported. However, several passengers were stranded at multiple locations, and the state transport corporation operated special buses to cater to the needs of the travelling public.
The fire was doused after a nearly 10-hour battle.
According to a railway official, derailment may have triggered the fire. However, the cause is not clear yet and it would be ascertained by following relevant norms, he added.