(a) whether the Railways is aware of the recent incident of fire in the Visakhapatnam bound AP AC superfast express train at Gwalior;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons for the incident and the number of persons killed/injured;
(c) whether any probe has been ordered in this regard;
(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents; and
(e) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)
(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2378 BY SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G. TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 01.08.2018 REGARDING FIRE INCIDENT
(a): Yes, Madam.
(b) to (d): On 21.05.2018, at around 11.58 hrs, train no. 22416 (AC AP Express) met with a fire accident at Birlanagar Station of Agra-Jhansi section of Jhansi division in North Central Railway. No passenger was killed or injured in this accident.
Departmental Inquiry was conducted by a committee of Senior Railway Officers. The committee has concluded that the fire accident occurred due to inadvertent throwing of cigarette butt or match stick by some passenger using the toilet. The following steps are being taken to reduce incidents of fire in coaches:-
• It is a continual endeavour of Indian Railways to improve fire retardancy in coaches by providing fire retardant furnishing materials in coaches. A parameter called Heat Release Rate has been added in the material specification of all major interior furnishing materials as per latest European norms, in order to improve fire safety in coaches.
• Instructions have been issued to Production Units for provision of following in all newly manufactured coaches:
i. Fire detection and suppression system in all newly manufactured Power cars and Pantry Cars.
ii. Fire and Smoke detection system in all newly manufactured Air Conditioned (AC) coaches.
iii. Fire Extinguishers in all newly manufactured non-AC coaches (in addition to AC coaches).
• Steps have been taken to improve fire safety features in existing coaches also. In this direction, instructions were issued to Zonal Railways to provide fire and smoke detection system, fire detection and suppression system and Fire Extinguishers in non-AC coaches on identified class of coaches progressively.
• On-board ticket checking staff were instructed to ensure that whenever inflammable and dangerous/prohibited goods are detected, intimation about the same is given to the station staff for necessary action.
• Improved materials for electrical fittings and fixtures such as MCB (Miniature Circuit Breaker), light fittings, terminal boards, connectors etc., are being used progressively.
• Railways are providing 3 tier and 4 tier electrical fuse protection system in train lighting and air-conditioned coaches respectively.
• Intensive publicity campaigns to prevent the travelling public from carrying inflammable goods are regularly undertaken.
• Frequent drives against carrying of inflammable/dangerous articles in trains as well as station premises are undertaken.
(e): Does not arise.
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