SUKKUR: A fire broke out in three bogies of the Sukkur Express parked at the Jacobabad railway station on Thursday. The blaze almost completely destroyed the bogies mainly because of delayed arrival of fire tenders.

Sources at the railway station said the railway authorities concerned as well as the fire brigade station had been informed in time but they responded very late to the situation.

By the time the fire fighters reached there the fire had completely engulfed the bogies and reduced their efforts to naught. A bogie was, however, saved by delinking it from the burning compartments through a locomotive.

Many townspeople as well as policemen rushed to the railway station after watching thick clouds of smoke from afar which created panic in the town.

All the trains on the route were temporarily halted at different railway stations till the fire was put out and the traffic was restored.

Stationmaster Nihal Bugti told journalists that he had called the fire tenders immediately after receiving report about the fire but they arrived late.

He said that it remained to be investigated and ascertained what exactly caused the fire and who was involved in it. He had already reported the incident to high authorities, he added.

Surprisingly, in a similar manner the same number of bogies had caught fire at almost the same place three months ago and all bogies were completely burnt down but no inquiry was conducted nor any case was lodged of that incident.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2014