Officials launch probe into Gautami Express fire

Hyderabad: A probe into the fire on the Gautami Express, which claimed 31 lives, began yesterday even as no progress could be made in identifying the dead.

Chief Commissioner of Railway Safety, R.P. Agarwal, yesterday began the statutory inquiry into the fire which broke out on the passenger train in the early hours of Friday.

Five coaches of the Secunderabad-Kakinada train were gutted in the incident that took place near K-Samudram railway station in Warangal district.

The railway official began the two-day inquiry at the railway rest house in Warangal railway station. On the first day, railway personnel, who were present at the accident site, recorded their statements before him.

Evidence needed

Members of the public, who know anything related to the accident and wish to give evidence, have been asked by the officials to come forward in person or in writing.

The authorities, in their preliminary investigations, ruled out sabotage, but said the cause of the fire would be known only after thorough investigations.

An electrical short circuit was believed to have triggered the fire but the South Central Railway authorities have now found oil marks in the S-10 coach, hinting that the fire may have been caused by inflammable material on board the train.

A railway official virtually ruled out short circuit or the hot axle phenomenon as the cause for fire. He said a cooking stove was also found in the coach.

Meanwhile, even two days after the tragedy the victims could not be identified.