Ladhowal (Punjab), May 15: A passenger travelling in the ill-fated frontier mail saw some sparks near a toilet in the S-5 coach of the train before fire engulfed four of its compartments. Sati Pitoliwali, travelling from Daund, had got up to ease himself in the wee hours when he noticed some sparks near the toilet. "I raised an alarm and alerted others, but soon there was hue and cry all around and it was difficult to tell what had happened before we saw flames leaping out from the S-4 coach," he said.

Another passenger A D Singh, A Havildar with the Army travelling from Ambala to Amritsar in S-3 coach, said he immediately rushed to the S-4 coach and helped rescue a number of passengers, many of whom were in deep sleep and caught unawares.

Singh said a thick blanket of smoke had engulfed the worst-affected S-4 compartment which seemed to have more than its listed number of 72 passengers, he said.
Another army man Shahji M K, going to Amritsar from Delhi, lost three members of his family members in the tragedy.


Struggling to hold back tears, he said his wife Beti Shahji, son Johny (11) and daughter Tony Shahji (6) had been killed in the fire.


Residents of Phaguwal village, nearest to the site of tragedy, were the first to rush to the rescue of the passengers.
Bureau Report