Title - Smoke scares train passengers

Panic-stricken passengers jumped off an electric suburban train as it approached the Guindy station platform on Sunday afternoon after sparks and smoke started coming from the motor room of a compartment.

Sudden sparks and smoke from the motor room of the fifth compartment of an EMU plying between Tambaram and Beach, around 2.15 pm, forced commuters to pull the alarm chain and jump out as the train was approaching the station. Luckily no one was injured.

Officials headed by the senior divisional electric engineer, who inspected the train, claimed that the sparks were caused by a short circuit.

The motor room is usually built within the compartment to house extended machinery of the pantograph that keeps in contact with the overhead live wire.

“I got into the compartment from Pallavaram with my wife and child and I was going to T Nagar for shopping. Nearly 30 people were there. Suddenly strange sounds started coming from the motor room. After St Thomas Mount, the sounds resembled crackers bursting.

There were sparks and the entire wagon was filled with smoke. We got scared and somebody pulled the chain,” said Mr Shamasuddin, who, along with other passengers, refused to board the same train despite assurance from Railway officials.

As soon as the motorman disconnected the pantograph, the smoke and sparks stopped, said sources.

Another passenger, Mr Kannan from Tambaram said he jumped off the train as it was approaching the Guindy platform.

“Despite pulling the alarm chain, we found the train stopping as it neared the station. I jumped before it really stopped,” he said.

Because of the fire incident, the schedule of a few Tambaram – Beach trains were affected. Officials took the empty train up to Egmore without any incidents and brought it back to Tambaram yard to run checks.