A coach of an express train that was halted at Kannur railway station in Kerala caught fire in the early hours of Thursday. The train was stationary on a track a few meters away from the platform and a Bharat Petroleum fuel depot.

Fortunately, there were no passengers on board at the time, so no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and it is being investigated whether it was due to sabotage or an electrical fault.

Upon receiving information about the incident around 1:30 am, the Kannur Fire and Rescue Station dispatched personnel to the scene. One of the coaches was completely engulfed in flames, as shown in visuals aired on TV channels, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the air. Firefighters deployed four fire tenders and managed to extinguish the flames by around 3:15 am.

The affected coach was identified as the third coach from the back of the train. A forensic investigation will be conducted to determine the exact cause of the fire.

CCTV footage revealed a person carrying a can approaching the train in the dark, leading railway authorities to suspect arson as a possible cause. Since the fire started after the engine was separated from the compartments, the likelihood of a short-circuit is considered low, according to an eyewitness.

It is worth noting that a tragic train arson incident occurred in Kozhikode district on April 2, resulting in the deaths of three people, including a baby. During that incident, a passenger set fire to the Alappuzha-Kannur Executive Express train when it reached Korapuzha bridge near Elathur in Kozhikode. Nine individuals sustained burn injuries, and three, including the toddler, were found dead on the tracks. It is suspected that they fell while trying to escape from the fire.