A freight train carrying diesel from the Indian Oil Corporation terminal in Chennai to Bengaluru caught fire near Tiruvallur railway station early Sunday, disrupting the Chennai-Arakkonam route.

The blaze, which started in one wagon around 5:20 AM, spread to four others, triggering a significant fuel leak and dense smoke. No casualties have been reported, officials confirmed. Fire tenders from Chennai and Tiruvallur, along with railway maintenance teams, are battling the flames.

Preliminary investigations suggest a derailment of four wagons may have sparked the fire, though the exact cause remains under probe. The accident site has been cordoned off, and residents nearby have been evacuated for safety. Tiruvallur District Collector M. Prathap urged the public to avoid the area to aid emergency operations. Southern Railway suspended overhead power supply, halting local train services.

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Eight express trains, including those to Mysore, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore, were cancelled, five were diverted, and eight were short-terminated. “Efforts are underway to detach unaffected wagons and restore normalcy,” a railway official said. Patients in nearby hospitals have been shifted to safer facilities as a precaution. Tiruvallur District Police Superintendent Srinivasa Perumal stated, “The fire department and railway authorities are working tirelessly to contain the blaze and prevent further damage.”

The incident follows a recent train collision in Tiruvallur on October 11, 2024, raising concerns about rail safety in the region.

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