Date:25/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/25/stories/2008032559541000.htm

Tamil Nadu

Contractor held responsible for train fire

S. Vijay Kumar

MADURAI: A parcel contractor of Southern Railway has been held responsible for the fire on the Chennai-Madurai Pandian Superfast Express at Vadamadurai on March 12.

According to Divisional Railway Manager Hemant Kumar, a team of senior officials that investigated the incident had concluded that loading of “prohibited” materials led to the fire.

“Besides charged batteries, he (the contractor) had also loaded some inflammable materials. A decision on who will compensate the damage suffered by Railway will be taken at a later stage. We have sent the report to the headquarters for action,” Mr. Kumar told The Hindu here on Monday.