East Burdwan: A massive fire gutted an empty compartment of the Katwa-Azimganj passenger train at platform number two of Katwa railway station around 4.45am on Sunday.Railways formed a five-member inquiry committee headed by additional divisional railway manager (ADRM) Uday Kumar Mishra after preliminary reports suggested the fire may have been set deliberately. A forensic team will inspect the site on Monday.The station was mostly empty at the time, with no other trains present. A few passengers waiting overnight to board the train were alerted immediately. RPF and GRP responded swiftly, and no casualties were reported.Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Sibaram Majhi said ADRM Mishra visited the spot. “Preliminary investigation revealed it was not a short circuit. It is suspected outsiders may have been involved and that the fire was set intentionally,” he said. GRP and RPF personnel cordoned off the area and barred entry.Katwa railway station GRP officer-in-charge Tanumoy Purkait said: “We rushed to the spot and informed the fire brigade. We started dousing the fire with extinguishers before fire officials arrived, and the train engine was shifted to the carshed. Two fire tenders reached the spot and extinguished the fire within 15-20 minutes. The fire spread rapidly because synthetic materials — cushions and rexine seats — expedited the flames. The compartment was completely gutted.”He added: “Fortunately, there were no passengers inside the compartment. This train arrives at Katwa every night and remains at platform two until morning, starting its journey at 6am with passengers. No injuries were reported.”
