A major fire broke out on the Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express in the early hours of Monday, resulting in one fatality and the safe evacuation of over 150 passengers. The incident occurred at the Elamanchili (Yelamanchili) railway station, approximately 66 kilometres from Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
Swift Rescue Averts Greater Tragedy
According to police, the fire was reported at 12:45 am on Monday, December 29, 2025. Flames engulfed two coaches of Train No. 18189 – the B1 and M2 compartments. Railway staff acted promptly, alerting the fire brigade and assisting passengers in getting off the train. A total of 143 passengers were safely deboarded from the affected coaches, which had 82 and 76 passengers respectively at the time of the incident.
Unfortunately, rescue personnel discovered a body inside the B1 coach. The deceased was identified as Chandrsekhar Sundaram. The Vijayawada Division of the South Central Railway (SCR) announced that ex gratia compensation would be provided to his family.
Containment Efforts and Ongoing Investigation
To prevent the fire from spreading, railway authorities took decisive action. They created a gap and detached the two burning coaches along with an adjacent AC III Tier coach (M1) as a precaution. A shunting locomotive then pulled these coaches away. The rest of the train was later coupled with additional replacement coaches and resumed its journey towards Ernakulam.
In an official press release, the SCR stated that initial investigations suggest the fire did not originate from the electrical panel, a common source, but rather from the linen storage area of the coach. The exact cause is yet to be determined. "The Railway Forensic Department would ascertain the exact cause after examining the affected coaches," said Anakapalli District Collector Vijaya Krishnan.
Passenger Assistance and Official Response
The remaining coaches of the train are being moved to Samalkot railway station, where three empty replacement coaches will be attached. Passengers from the damaged coaches are being transported to Samalkot via bus services. Authorities ensured that stranded passengers were provided with food and drinking water.
The SCR has established helpline numbers for assistance and train running information related to the incident. A helpdesk has also been set up at Ernakulam Junction railway station.
Helpline Numbers:
- Helpdesk 1: 9746718335
- Helpdesk 2: +91 91885 23902
District Collector Krishnan provided further insight, noting that a pressure imbalance alert was triggered when brakes were applied at Yelamanchili station, which was noticed by the loco pilot and station staff. This was followed by the observation of smoke, leading to the immediate evacuation.
