Bhubaneswar, Feb 13 (PTI) A major train mishap was Saturday averted as the guard of Chennai-Howrah Mail Special detected an hot axle in the general second class coach at Sompeta in Andhra Pradesh under East Coast Railway, a railway official said.

The officials took prompt action and detached the coach (second from the rear) at Sompeta, he said.

There were about 90 people in this coach, the official said adding the passengers were accommodated in other coaches till Bhubaneswar.

In Bhubaneswar a general second class coach will be attached to the train and passengers will be shifted to it for the onward journey, he said.

Asked the official said the axle connects wheels on each side of a train car and keeps the two wheels moving together at the same speed when the train is moving. A hot axle affects the function. This and may even lead to the train catching fire if it is not detected in time.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)