Rail communication on the Dhaka-Sylhet route was restored Saturday afternoon after three hours of suspension following a fire incident on a train in Srimangal of Moulvibazar district, authorities said.
The rail link resumed at 4:00 pm as the inter-city train ‘Parabat Express’ left for Sylhet, said Mohammad Rafiq, station master of Srimangal railway station, reports UNB.
The fire broke out at the power car or restaurant car on the train around 12:45 pm and spread soon, said Farid Ahmed, station manager of Srimangal Railway Station.
Later four firefighting units managed to douse the flames after an hour and a half long effort but three of the AC compartments were charred.
The fire broke out at the power car of the train while it reached Shamshernagar Air Base and spread to two other coaches.
At first, the locals tried to douse the flames and later firefighting units of Kamalganj, Moulvibazar, Sreemangal and Kulaura rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze.
Abu Bakkar, sub-inspector of Shamshernagar Railway Station, said three compartments of the train were gutted during the fire.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported as the authorities concerned managed to stop the train in time.
Sukhen Das Plabon, a passenger, said he noticed smoke billowing from the train and when he along with others came forward they saw fire. Immediately, they informed the Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) who asked to stop the train.
A seven-member probe body has been formed to investigate the fire incident led by an additional magistrate of the Moulvibazar district Abdul Haque.
The three damaged compartments are now being taken to Kulaura Upazila, said station master Md Rafiq.