Fire damages power car of Sylhet-bound Surma Mail

The charred power car of Sylhet-bound Surma Mail that caught fire on Monday morning lies at Srimongal station.Photo: STAR

Fire damaged the power car of Sylhet-bound Surma Mail and its guard's compartment in Akahura-Sylhet section on Monday morning.
Railway sources said the fire originated in the power car of the running train at a place between Satgaon and Rashidpur rail stations at around 5:45am and soon engulfed the adjacent guard's compartment, leaving guard Akhter Hossain injured.
Driver stopped the train at Satgaon station where passengers and railway men through their frantic efforts extinguished the blaze. Later the Surma Mail left Satgaon and reached Srimongal station at 9:05am.
After replacing the power car, which was completely damaged by the fire, the train left Srimongal station for Sylhet at 10:10am. Train services on Sylhet--Dhaka and Sylhet--Chittagong routes remained suspended for 45 minutes due to the incident.
Mohammad Al Mamun, sub-assistant engineer (power) of the railways' Akhaura office, said the fire originated from an electric short circuit in power car. High railway officials have inspected the damaged power car at Srimongal station.
Railway source said a four-member committee headed by Traffic Inspector Ataur Rahman has been formed to investigate the incident.