Train fire in India kills 32; death toll may rise
From Harmeet Shah Singh, CNN
updated 10:22 AM EDT, Mon July 30, 2012
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: The number of bodies pulled from the train rises to 32
- NEW: An additional 25 passengers were hospitalized with burns
- NEW: Ministry of Railways says the cause "is yet to be determined"
Are you in India? Send photos and stories to CNN iReport.
New Delhi (CNN) -- A fire swept through a train passenger car in southern India on Monday, killing at least 32 people, authorities said.
An additional 25 passengers were admitted to hospitals with burns, the Ministry of Railways said in a statement on its website.
Emergency crews removed the dead and injured from the gutted car of the New Delhi-Chennai Tamilnadu Express at Nellore Station, which is in Nellore District of Andhra Pradesh State, according to officials.
An electrical short-circuit is believed to have caused the fire, said B. Sreedhar, the district's top administrator. But a later posting from the Ministry of Railways said the cause "is yet to be ascertained."
Arrangements were made for a special train to carry relatives of affected passengers from Chennai to Nellore, the ministry said.
India's vast rail network, used by hundreds of thousands of passengers daily, has had issues with its safety record.
The country reported 93 train crashes during 2010 and 2011, official figures show. Authorities say that more than 40% of train accidents happen at unguarded railway crossings.
Read more: 15,000 die each year crossing India train tracks
Part of complete coverage on
Catch up with all the latest news, photos and comments from the London 2012 Olympic Games in CNN's live blog.
updated 10:06 PM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012
From the 200-meter butterfly swim to women's team gymnastics, see the best pictures from day 4 of the Games.
updated 11:51 AM EDT, Mon July 30, 2012
Syria's rebels have transformed themselves into an armed movement capable of attacking the country's two largest cities.
updated 9:00 AM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012
Eric Moussambani swam the worst 100m time in the history of the Olympics. Now 34, 'Eric the Eel' is hoping to return to the pool at Rio 2016.
updated 9:45 AM EDT, Sun July 29, 2012
Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem tell CNN which U.S. presidential candidate is better for their cause.
updated 9:24 AM EDT, Sat July 28, 2012
The 140 million Twitter users are creating new challenges at the first "social media Olympics."
updated 4:32 PM EDT, Tue July 31, 2012
Hundreds of millions have been dazzled by the sights and sounds of director Danny Boyle's opening ceremony for the 2012 Summer Games.
updated 11:28 PM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
For the first time, every country enters a female competitor, and survivors of the Arab Spring will compete. What surprises will London produce?
updated 9:25 AM EDT, Thu July 26, 2012
Forget about the queen and Big Ben -- the Olympic Park is in the East End, long home to London's working and creative classes.
updated 9:01 PM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
When five teenagers sat down and posed for a picture at Copco Lake in 1982, they didn't plan on making it a tradition. But that's what it became.
updated 7:24 AM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
The Olympics may have started out as an idealistic showcase of amateur sporting prowess, but now it's a very big business.
updated 9:01 PM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
When five teenagers sat down and posed for a picture at Copco Lake in 1982, they didn't plan on making it a tradition. But that's what it became.
updated 10:33 AM EDT, Thu July 26, 2012
He's got blue wings, an adventurous spirit and is poised to be the latest film star to come out of South Africa.
updated 11:36 PM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
Fangshan residents are angry at what they perceive as government indifference to their plight following devastating floods.
updated 3:09 PM EDT, Sat July 28, 2012
Lisa Sylvester reports on Skydiver Felix Baumgartner - who survived a test jump from 96,000 feet, falling at 536 mph.
updated 12:31 PM EDT, Wed July 25, 2012
A team of young documentary makers is hoping to burst the myth of Africa as a dangerous backwater by shining a light on some inspiring projects.
updated 5:06 PM EDT, Mon July 23, 2012
Even after the Colorado shootings, Jonathan Mann says American attitudes and laws concerning guns aren't likely to change much.
updated 5:36 AM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
Islamic radicals linked to al Qaeda have seized the northern half of Mali, triggering concerns that it could become a terrorist haven.
updated 2:14 AM EDT, Thu July 26, 2012
If you tire of the athletics in London this summer, take a stroll through the city's World Heritage Sites.
updated 8:08 AM EDT, Fri July 27, 2012
A spate of recent suicides caused by bullying prompts Japan to set up a dedicated team to prevent further tragedies.
Most popular stories right now
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|