Nov 30, 2024 08:08 PM IST
A joint investigation team comprising officials from the government railway police (GRP), railway protection force (RPF), Sigra police, and forensic experts is probing the incident.
A massive fire at the vehicle parking area of Cantt railway station in Varanasi reduced 203 vehicles, including motorcycles and scooters, to ashes. Authorities confirmed that the blaze broke out late Friday night, and preliminary investigations suggest a short circuit as the likely cause. However, no injuries have been reported.
A joint investigation team comprising officials from the government railway police (GRP), railway protection force (RPF), Sigra police, and forensic experts is probing the incident. Evidence has been collected from the site to determine the exact cause of the fire, said GRP inspector Hemant Singh.
According to police, the parking area, dedicated to railway employees, housed around 200 bikes when the fire erupted. It is believed that a spark from the short circuit landed on one of the bikes, triggering the massive blaze.
Superintendent of police, GRP Prayag, Abhishek Yadav, visited the site on Saturday morning and conducted an inspection. He also held a meeting with the additional divisional railway manager (ADRM) and the Cantt station director to assess the situation. Senior officials from Northern Railway’s Lucknow division have been dispatched to the station for further investigation.
The fire has caused significant distress among railway employees. On Saturday, workers gathered at the parking area to identify their burnt vehicles.
Railway unions have called for compensation for the losses incurred by employees. DK Singh, branch secretary of the Northern Railway Men’s Union, and Vindhyavasini Yadav, branch secretary of the Northern Railway Mazdoor Union, urged the authorities to provide financial relief to affected workers.
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