Metro coach catches fire blast averted

Overhead connecting wire's insulating cap falls off; nobody notices till wire goes up in flames. Train had 1,500 passengers

Even a small spark in a packed Metro train zipping at more than 60 km/h through a crowded neighbourhood may turn into a catastrophe. And on Thursday afternoon, such a nightmare was averted by few seconds.

According to senior Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) officials, a coach in a train running on the Dwarka-Yamuna Bank line caught fire near Connaught Place around 2.30 pm when its overhead connecting wire burst out in flames. Fortunately, the fire was doused before it could spread to the air conditioning plant of the coach, which could have resulted in a blast, they said.

"The incident happened when train number 22 was on its way from Yamuna Bank to Dwarka. The insulating cap of the overhead electric connector through which the coach draws power from the main powerline running above the track, fell down as the train emerged from the tunnel near RK Ashram Marg Metro station. Strangely, no alarms went off inside the coach and neither did anyone notice the bare electric wire. The insulating cap, weighing around 5 kg, rolled inside a shop below the track but no damage was reported," said a senior DMRC official, wishing anonymity.

Sources said as the train moved forward with the bare wire sparking while it rubbed against the 25,000-kilo volt main line, it caught fire. Soon, the entire connecting wire was up in flames. The fire was noticed at Rajender Place, after the train had crossed two stations.

"Immediately, fire extinguishers from the train were used to douse the flames. Within five to ten minutes the fire was brought under control and just for that while train movement on the line was halted," said the official.

Fortunately, the fire was doused before it could reach the air conditioner plant located just below the connecting wire. "If the flames would have spread to the air conditioning plant, the coach would have exploded, injuring many. The bare wire could have conducted electricity into the entire train body, electrocuting many passengers," said the official.

Sources said a piece of cloth was also recovered from around the charred connecting wire. "How a piece of fabric got stuck in the overhead electrical wire system is yet to be ascertained," the official said.

Experts say the incident seems to be a fall-out of poor maintenance.

Another DMRC official, who was present at the spot, said, "It's a bizarre incident and occurs once in 100 years."
A pacifier or the truth? Meanwhile, DMRC spokesperson Anuj Dayal said, "the potential transfromer (which regulates power to the train from the overhead electric cable) had developed a snag. When the problem was detected, the train was stopped and sent to the depot for examination. The spark started from a short circuit but couldn't have led to a blast in the air conditioning plant."

It could have been worse
The Dwarka-Yamuna Bank line is the longest in Delhi. It ferries over 3.5 lakh passengers every day and is the busiest in the network.

Though the accident happened during the off-peak hour, over 1,500 passengers were traveling in the train.