A constable of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) died allegedly while controlling smoke billowing out from an empty coach of a train at Muzaffarpur railway station in Muzaffarpur on April 22, officials said.
The deceased RPF constable has been identified as Vinod Yadav.
Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of East Central Railway Birendra Kumar told PTI, "Prima facie it appears that the incident took place when the victim noticed smoke billowing out from a coach of the empty Valsad-Muzaffarpur train at Muzaffarpur railway station at around 7 a.m. Preliminary inputs from the site suggest that he immediately picked up a fire extinguisher….the moment he tried to open the extinguisher, it burst out…this caused him severe injuries." The entire train was empty when the incident took place, the CPRO said, adding the train had terminated at Muzaffarpur railway station.
"It was not a fire. It was only smoke billowing out from the coach. The injured RPF constable was immediately taken to the nearest hospital. He succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at the hospital. The smoke coming out from the empty coach was immediately brought under control. The exact cause of the incident can be known only after a thorough probe. An inquiry will be ordered to ascertain the cause of incident," he said.
Talking to reporters at Muzaffarpur railway station, Amresh Kumar (IG-Rail) said, "It is a very tragic incident. The exact cause of the incident can be known after completion of the inquiry. All evidence collected from the site has been sent for forensic examination."
