MADURAI: 10 persons were killed after a fire broke out inside a stationary train compartment near the Madurai Railway Station in the early hours of Saturday. 20 people were injured. The deceased are natives of Uttar Pradesh. The bodies of eight people, including two women, were recovered. The incident happened at 5:15 am yesterday. The fire broke out in the sleeper coach of the Lucknow-Rameswaram tourist train that had arrived from Lucknow. The fire force immediately reached the spot and extinguished the fire completely by 7:15 a.m.

There were 63 people in the coach. According to the preliminary report of the railways, the cause of the fire was a gas cylinder explosion. Officials say that the cylinder exploded while the people inside the train were making tea. The coach was completely gutted. Police informed that there is no possibility of a coup.

Southern Railway has announced a financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the families of the deceased.

Grieving over the incident, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a financial assistance of Rs 3 lakh each and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Rs 2 lakh each.