55 people killed as fire breaks out in Samjhauta Express

Chandigarh, Feb 19 (UNI) Fifty-five people were killed and 13 other injured when a fire broke out in 4001 up Samjhauta Express at Shiva Village under Chandni Bagh police station in Panipat district early morning today.

Charred bodies of the deceased, including women and children, were recovered and many of them brought to the Civil Hospital at Panipat, where the injured were admitted.

The fire was noticed in the last two bogies of the train when it reached the railway crossing near the village at about 0100 hours.

Police launched recue operations in association with the Railway police and bomb disposal squad.

The chief secretary, home secretary, inspector general of police (Rohtak range), deputy commissioner and SP of Panipat reached the site and were supervising the rescue work which was still on.

The bogies were separated from the train after the fire was extinguished by fire tenders from the district and the Indian Oil refinery.

After separation of the two bogies, the train, which was going from Delhi to Atari in Pakistan, left for its destination at about 0300 hours.

UNI