Silchar, June 9: A fire erupted onboard the Silchar-Thiruvananthapuram Express shortly before the train was scheduled to depart in the morning hours of Sunday. The blaze was reported when the train was stationed at Silchar Express, shortly before departure. Fortunately, no commuter was onboard as the train was emptied for cleaning purpose.

No casualties were reported in the incident. The rescue workers of Indian Railways, Assam Fire Brigade and Assam Disaster Response Force succeeded in dousing off the flames within a couple of hours after the fire broke out this morning. New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express Fire: Blaze Erupts in Generator Car of Train in Odisha's Balasore, No Casualties Reported

According to reports, the fire originated in the pantry car and spread to at least three coaches. No casualties have been reported.

Update by ANI:

The incident has sparked safety concerns, with former Silchar MP Sushmita Dev questioning the government over the alleged lack of steps taken to improve the precautionary mechanism in the Railways despite the fatal tragedies reported in the last few years.

"The fire at Silchar railway station burning down coaches of the Trivandrum Express raises questions on safety and security measures. Luckily no loss of life but the reasons for fire must be investigated thoroughly," she said.

The Railways has ordered a rigorous inquiry into the incident. Official privy to the matter told reporters that the cause of fire was yet to be ascertained.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 09, 2019 01:28 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).