Massive fire on crude oil train near Tiruvallur disrupts rail services in Chennai
Thousands affected
Chennai: Train services in the Chennai–Arakkonam section were thrown into chaos early Sunday morning after a massive fire broke out on a freight train carrying crude oil near Tiruvallur, about 43 km from Chennai Central. Thousands of passengers were affected as both suburban and long-distance train operations were suspended or cancelled.
The incident occurred around 4:45 am when a 45-coach freight train transporting crude oil from Ennore to Jolarpettai caught fire while passing through the Tiruvallur–Egattur section. Preliminary reports suggest the derailment of two wagons may have sparked the blaze, though the exact cause is still under investigation.
The fire quickly engulfed four coaches and spread further, producing towering flames and thick plumes of black smoke. Panic ensued among nearby residents, who were promptly evacuated as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.
Fire and Rescue Services were immediately deployed to the scene. Five coaches were detached from the burning rake to prevent the fire from spreading. Restoration efforts are currently underway.
Tiruvallur District Collector M. Prathap visited the site and supervised the evacuation and firefighting measures. Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Arakkonam unit, have also been pressed into service to assist with relief and containment operations.
Rail operations bore the brunt of the incident:
All suburban trains between Chennai and Arakkonam were suspended from 5 am.
Eight inbound express trains, including the Mangaluru Mail, Nilgiri Express, and Coimbatore Intercity, were short-terminated at stations between Arakkonam and Katpadi.
Eight outbound express trains from Chennai Central, including the Chennai–Mysuru Shatabdi and Chennai–Bengaluru Double Decker, were fully cancelled.
Four trains were diverted via Gudur and Renigunta routes.
Southern Railway officials have advised passengers to contact helpline numbers 044-25354151 and 044-24354995 for assistance and updated travel information.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
