The Hindu : Front Page : Cheran Express coach catches fire

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 20, 2005

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Front Page

Cheran Express coach catches fire

Staff Reporter

Passengers raised the alarm; charred body recovered from locked toilet

COIMBATORE: Passengers of the Coimbatore-bound Cheran Express from Chennai had a miraculous escape when an unreserved coach caught fire on Tuesday morning at Irugur, 17 km from here.

The fire was noticed by two passengers when the train was slowing down on the outskirts of Irugur around 5.40 a.m.

While 80-odd passengers got out with their luggage, police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel recovered a charred body from the locked toilet of the gutted coach.

The body, seemingly of a man aged 35 years, has been charred beyond recognition.

Forensic experts have recovered a lungi and towel with kerosene from the toilet.

According to preliminary investigation, he might have attempted self-immolation.

The probe will also look at the possibility of the victim having accidentally started the fire while trying to light a cigarette or `beedi' inside the latched toilet, which probably had a kerosene consignment (concealed to escape the eyes of the travelling ticket examiner).

The train had 22 coaches and the penultimate one caught fire.

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