Title - ‘We saw them burn to death’

It was a horrifying experience for passengers to watch fellow travellers burn inside the tragedy hit Hampi Express. People looked on helplessly as passengers stuck in the fire-hit bogie of the train cried for help. Witnesses said that rescuing them was not easy and they could do nothing but watch in futile desperation as several passengers charred to death.

Mr Vinod Reddy, a tea seller at the Penukonda station said: “I was looking out for the approaching Hampi Express so that I could do some business. But what followed was unbelieving. The train was diverted on a line where a train was already stationary. Perhaps the train’s loco-pilot did not see the signal and by the time he realized there was a train right in front, it was too late. The collision took place and there was a huge noise. Before officials at the station could act, the bogie of the train right after the engine was on fire. We tried to put out the fire and threw buckets of water from a distance but it was of no use, the fire was too strong.”

Some passengers who were not asleep when the accident took place managed to escape but they had to watch their fellow travellers burn to death. “I am distressed and I never thought that I would witness such an incident in my life. I feel lucky that I managed to escape the devastating fire but I can never forget what I saw today. I was shell-shocked to see people crying for help with burn injuries. I could see people being burnt alive. For some time they screamed in pain, cried for help but the fire engulfed them. I had interacted with so many passengers during the journey and most of them became victims of the tragedy. I don’t have words to express the gory sight,” recalled Mr Vishwa Nayak.

An Accident Relief Train and Breakdown Van (MFD) reached the accident site while another Medical Relief Van from Hindupur and from Dharmavaram arrived at the accident spot at 4.50 am on Tuesday. But by then it was too late for the few who succumbed to their injuries. Eight charred bodies were recovered from the first coach of the Hampi Express while seven more bodies were recovered from the third bogie which was mangled beyond recognition. Most of the survivors were in shock and will take time to recover from the trauma.