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At least seven persons, including children, were charred to death after fire broke out in two coaches of Howrah-Dehradun Express in Jharkhand's Giridih district in the wee hours on Tuesday, officials said.
"Seven persons, including two children, were charred to death after fire broke out in an AC coach and then spread to another AC coach," Railway Protection Force Divisional Commandant Sashi Kumar told PTI over phone.
The fire, which broke out around 3 am in B-1 AC coach and then spread to spread to B-2 AC coach, was spotted in the coach between Gomo and Nimiaghat railway stations, he said.
In New Delhi, Railway spokesperson Anil Saxena confirmed that seven people, including a five-year-old girl, have died. Dhanbad DRM and a railway medical team have reached the site. Catering arrangements have been made for the stranded passengers.
According to railway officials, one of the two deceased was identified as Archita Kumari who hailed from Asansol in West Bengal. Both the coaches have been detached from the train, which left Howrah station on Monday night.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained and an inquiry has been ordered by Commissioner Railway Safety (CRS), a railway spokesman said in Delhi.
Railway has set up a help line for relatives of the passengers. The helpline numbers are; 033-26413660, 033-26402243 and 032-62220518. Train operation on the route have been restored around 7:50 am, officials said.