India train fire kills 47, leaves passengers scrambling for only clear exit

... Read on at http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-...ly-clear-exit/.

Either I slept through all this, or this News is all bunkum!

You mean this didn't happen? Hm. I do get more Google news hits on it now than I did when I posted it. Images, too, it would appear. Nor do they all seem to refer back to the same AP report. Who of course have quite a standing.

No, it could have happened, just did not hear it in the news.
Edit: Yes, it did happen...Very unfortunate!

XX - Crossposted with #3 & #4 - X

The BBC seems to be convinced that it is real news although their radio correspondent did report that the train was travelling at 100 mph when the fire broke out.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-19043970

There are also reports today of a collision between a railbus and a school bus in Punjab which has killed four teenagers and injured 19 more. And a the collapse of a station wall in Odisha has killed a 10 year old on her way to school.

A dreadful day.

And there is massive power failure across north India since last night. Maybe this is why, strangely, Indian news sites have been somewhat delayed as far as this news is concerned.

Real sad news for Indian Railways. Tamil Nadu Express being one of the main connecting link between North India and South India.

This is so upsetting. Poor people. I can visualise the scene, peaceful sleeping families, then this horror. It leaves me scared to travel on overnight train trips in future. Those window bars prevent passengers from escaping in such an emergency! I'm wondering if A/C compartments are any safer. Perhaps one could break the windows and jump out.

All compartments do have emergency exits!

Indeed, and far from all may be aware of it.

I should point out first that I didn't report the above by way of pointing fingers or so, I think it's just a tragic accident, that could have happened anywhere in the world. And any train compartment anywhere will have just so many exits.

I'm not so familiar with any of the higher Indian train classes, but in Sleeper Class (and I reckon in Unreserved), at least at one side in the middle, perhaps on both sides, there is a window you can open and where you can lift the bars up. It's a good place to sit to have an unobstructed view, also handy for photography. This is of course the emergency exit. I think those bars are painted red or something, they will be recognizable as such if you know about it, and probably signposted. I suppose be wary of opening it (in non-emergencies) and having your kids drop out, or yourself if you're really uncareful. Dangling camera or bag straps may also get caught onto something, through those bars as well for that matter.

Again I don't know how this is in the higher classes, but I would expect there to be some emergency exit, as well. Of course a fire and certainly when you're asleep is just notoriously disastrous and typically swift to spread, anywhere.

I've done more than few overnight train trips and I must say after reading this story it also leaves me scared about taking the train again -- and I don't scare easy.

I've traveled FC AC, FC non AC (no glass, bars on windows), and 2 AC. who knows how easy it is to break glass when in a panic? and what are you going to break it with? kick it out? and frankly, I never knew about any emergency exit as mentioned above, however, when people are panicing, what's your chance of getting out an emergency exit anyway, especially in the middle of the night? I've seen the way people line up and mass together trying to get inside a building, forget about how people would react in an emergency situation!

Well, yes; and it is reported here people were found still lying in their berths. They must have been caught totally unawares.

Again though, these things can happen anywhere in the world. Besides checking on your electrical circuits and stuff (there was mention of a possible short-circuit), what are you gonna do? I'd probably not know how to get out of a burning Dutch train cabin, either, and indeed now let alone in a panic, not to mention just woken up by it. Um, yes, there's supposed to be a little hammer, somewhere. Fire extinguishers? Never checked, really.

I have lived in the town where this accident happened. The fire was noticed first by the staff at the railway station and the person manning the Level crossing just beyond the station. Was immediately brought to a halt in about 5 kms, within the town. For a train traveling at over 100kmph, wind alone would have stoked the fire beyond control. Most people were either burnt or suffocated before they could realize and react after being suddenly woken from sleep.

Most bodies were found near the exit doors. Many died on their berths.

There are 2 or 4 (don't remember) fire exits in each Sleeper Coach. There are the windows that can be completely opened by a metal grill that slides up completely. But getting out of it from a running train from an exit that is way above is in itself dangerous. The Windows are easily over 7 feet from the ground.

and even if there were, are they consistently kept in working condition, able to be used on a moment's notice? here, fire extinguishers are required by law to be inspected and in working order. in India? hmmmm...

'nuff said.

I've seen in India how buildings (like museums) have one door for both entry and exit, even when there are two doors available. everyone tries to squeeze through the one door for entry and exit at the same time. madness.

so to think having an emergency exit on a train is going to save you in the middle of the night with people in a panic?

Hello, Jet Airways?

Completely true about the 2 doors, but one always locked situation.

I am a frequent traveler by train and I sleep poorly. One thing I always do, is to close and LOCK the doors at night. This is to prevent unauthorised people from entering reserved coaches at night. In a AC coach the coach attendant locks (many actually use a real lock) the doors. The regular locking mechanism at the top of the door is simple but unique to the railways and never found elsewhere, and have seen scores of people either unable to or struggle with it.

In a panic situation like this, without power, even I may struggle to open it quick enough.