Vic: Fire destroys train carriage while on journey
Eds; Changes keyword from MERLYNSTON
By Charisse Ede
MELBOURNE, April 10 AAP - Passengers on a Melbourne commuter train had to flee fortheir lives last night when a carriage erupted into flames.
As many as 50 people were believed to be on the Melbourne-bound train from Upfieldin the city's north when a passenger noticed the fire in the last of the train's threecarriages about 7.35pm (AEST).
The carriage was unoccupied at the time and the passengers were able to escape ontothe Merlynston (Merlynston) railway station, where the train had stopped, unharmed.
Despite the train driver's attempts to put out the fire, the carriage was destroyed,leaving an estimated damage bill of $1.5 million.
The Merlynston railway station buildings suffered heat damage but the cost of the damagehas not yet been estimated.
Sergeant Gavan Segrade (Gavan Segrade) of the police arson squad said they were keento speak with two people seen running from the platform when the fire was discovered.
"The inference we are drawing from that is that they were running away from the fire,"
he told reporters.
Sgt Segrade said initial tests had not found any accelerants in the fire, suggestingthe fire was lit using material in the carriage.
He said it was lucky no-one was injured.
"Clearly it's a very dangerous act," he said.
"It occurred on a train which is in service with passengers on board.
"It's fortunate that it's occurred when the train is stationary at a platform."
A spokeswoman for train operator M>Train, said closed circuit television (CCTV) footagetaken of the four stations from Upfield to Merlynston had been handed to the arson squad.
She said unlike its newer trains, the affected carriage did not have an internal CCTV system.
She said it was believed there was anywhere between 12 and 50 people on the train at the time.
Sgt Segrade said by the time police arrived at the scene all the passengers had leftand he appealed for them get in touch with the police.
Trains to Melbourne were replaced by buses for the rest of the night, but servicesresumed before this morning's peak hour.
AAP ce/gfr/ph/bwl
KEYWORD: CARRIAGE (PIX AVAILABLE) (CHANGES KEYWORD)
No comments:
Post a Comment