Major accident averted in Agra by alert railway gateman

A major accident was averted due to the alertness of a gateman at the railway crossing in Agra.

Yashpal, posted at a railway crossing near Bhandai station, noticed that smoke was coming out from the fourth coach of the train engine. He immediately informed the higher authorities about this incident owing to which the incident was brought under control in time.

Railway officials said in Agra that smoke was detected by Yashpal Singh, when the train passed through the gate at 3.35 pm on Wednesday before reaching Bhandai station. No one inside the train was aware of this.

Yashpal immediately called the Deputy Station Superintendent and he informed the control room about this. The train controller immediately directed the OHE (Over Head Equipment) in-charge to switch off power supply to all trains in up and down directions and stop them at their respective locations. Senior officers also praised Gateman Yashpal Singh for this wisdom.

According to sources, by the time Patalkot Express stopped at 3.37 pm, it had crossed Bhandai station. Within 10 minutes, fire brigade, ambulance and SPART (self-propelled accident relief train) were called to reach the spot.

Meanwhile, the fire had engulfed both the third and fourth compartments of the engine. However, all the passengers were taken out in time. According to the Railway Protection Force, the fire was brought under control by 5.10 pm. Although 11 people suffered minor burns in this incident, they have been sent to the hospital for treatment.

Palaklok Express was going from Firozpur Cantonment in Punjab towards Seoni in Madhya Pradesh, when a fire broke out near Bhandai, about 10 km from Agra.

Agra Railway Division PRO Prashasti Srivastava said that the cause of the fire was not immediately known. In this incident, two coaches of the train have been completely burnt and two coaches have been affected, all four coaches have been separated from the train. The situation is now under control.