SMOKE AND FIRE: The blaze that destroyed some shops at Chennai Central on Sunday being put out. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: A major fire broke out in the Central Station here on Sunday morning, damaging extensively a leading bookstall and a cyber café. Consequently train services were disrupted for about an hour.

While the bookstall was completely gutted, computers were badly damaged in the cyber café. Incoming and outgoing train services from the station were stopped for sometime as a precautionary measure.

According to an eyewitness, the fire, which was noticed at 7.45 a.m. spread from PVC pipes stacked along the sidewall of the new concourse. From there it spread to the first floor of the bookstall and subsequently to the cyber café. It took the fire service personnel nearly 30 minutes to put out the blaze. But by that time, newspaper bundles, magazines, books and stationeries in the bookstall were reduced to ashes. Glass panes and systems in the cyber café were damaged. A dozen fire tenders were engaged in the operation, according to fire service personnel.

Tension prevailed at the station for about 15 minutes as two trains were arriving at the platform when the fire was raging. Immediately, train services to and from the station were suspended. They were restored after an hour. However, no one was injured in the accident.

Southern Railway General Manager Thomas Varghese and Director-General of Police D. Mukherjee inspected the fire-fighting operation.

Later, the General Manager told newsmen that the cause of the accident was under investigation.

A senior official of the Southern Railway ruled out short circuit as the cause. He said power supply at the station was switched off at 6 a.m. itself, nearly two hours before the accident. Moreover, the fire emanated from PVC pipes stacked along the side portion of the station where there was no electrical cable.

The State Forensic Science Department has taken over the investigation and forensic officials have collected burnt materials, he added.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail