Railways minister hints at sabotage as train fire snuffs out seven lives
Pakistan
Investigation will reveal facts, says Saad Rafique
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – During a session in the National Assembly, Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafiq spoke about the tragic incident of a fire in a coach of the Karachi Express train, saying it may have been a result of sabotage.
The minister pledged a thorough investigation into the matter, which will uncover how long it took for the train to stop after pulling the chain and why a woman had to jump.
The accident's details will be revealed in a couple of days. The Karachi Express, travelling from Karachi to Lahore, met a sudden blaze, leading to fatalities. Rafiq stressed the need for funds from the provincial government to improve railways safety and security measures to avoid future disasters.
-- Casualties --
At least seven passengers, including four children and a woman, were killed after the bogie of a passenger train travelling from Karachi to Lahore suddenly caught fire in the wee hours of Thursday, witnesses and police said.
According to the railways authorities, the business class cabin of the train caught fire before reaching the Rohri station. The driver stopped the train after seeing the fire and the process of evacuating the passengers kicked off instantly.
The rescue operation was completed after fire was put out. The affected train resumed its journey to Khairpur after affected cabin was detached from other compartments.
The authorities claimed a woman jumped from the train in a bid to escape fire but unfortunately died during the attempt. The railways officials are still investigating the cause of fire.
-- Railways minister orders inquiry --
Federal Railways and Aviation Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique took notice of the incident and ordered an inquiry. An inquiry team will reach Khairpur today to investigate the cause of the fire and possible negligence on part of officials.
— Ministry of Railways, Govt of Pakistan (@RailwaysGovPk) April 27, 2023
