“I understood that something was wrong when the driver pulled the brake thrice. When the train stopped with a loud bang, I got down only to see a fellow passengers burning and screaming for help. I could not help as the heat was just unbearable,” recalled Mr Suresh Shetty, a mining and hospitality industrialist from Bellary. President of Bellary Hoteliers’ Association, Mr Shetty said he has been travelling by Hampi Express for past several years, but never heard of such a mishap.

“One entire general bogie full of passengers was in flames, charred bodies were all around and bleeding and injured passengers including small children, were crying for help,” he recalled. Mr Shetty was travelling in 1st AC coach when the train stopped with a loud thud around 3.15 am. He said it seemed to be the fault of the engine driver who he thought lost control and overshot the signal, ramming a stationary goods train.

Nizamuddin, a shop keeper from Bellary, recalled how other co-passengers in his sleeper coach fell from the upper berths on the floor when train stopped. “I thought it was an earthquake and got down. Then, I saw other passengers jostling to get out, throwing their luggage outside and women wailing. When I got down, it was a horrid sight,” he recalled.

AC coach traveller Prashanth from Hospet said passengers travelling by a second class general bogie attached to the luggage van attached to the engine suffered most casualties. “Many passengers in sleeper and AC coaches wanted to help passengers in general bogie, but it was hot and smoke was coming out of the bogie, almost choking us. We could not muster the courage to save others. It was unbearable and a gory sight to watch our fellow passengers burning in front of us,” he said

Uninjured passengers complained that there was no drinking water for the injured at Penukonda station. There were no proper arrangements made by authorities several hours after the mishap to inform relatives. But after a few minutes, an ambulance arrived with water and essential medical supplies. However, many passengers refused food and water offered by railway officials.

For some, it was nothing short of a miracle
There were some miraculous escapes in Tuesday’s tragedy. While the first and third bogie of the Hampi Express caught fire, those in the second bogie were lucky. Many Bengaluru bound passengers, who were unhurt, were brought to the city by the Rajdhani Express, Udyaan Express and buses. “The second bogie was thrown into the air and it landed on general bogies two and three. Everyone escaped with minor injuries, but when we came out, it was a horrible sight,” said Mr Rahman who was travelling to Bengaluru from Bellary.

It was also a close call for Mr Narsimrallu. He had initially entered the first General compartment but since his friends were in the second bogie, he decided to join them. “I was in the first bogie but my friends called me over to the second bogie. I was sleeping when I landed on the floor with a jerk,” said Mr Narsimrallu who suffered injuries on his right leg.

It was also a miraculous escape for Mr Maula Sahab and his family of three, hailing from Gangawati in Koppal District. They was travelling to Bengaluru and were fortunate enough to escape as they were in the same coach that caught fire. “We usually travel by Hampi Express as my husband works in Varthur, near Bengaluru. We were sleeping under the seat when the train collided and the seat came down on us. But we only sustained minor injuries. My two-year old daughter too was under the seat. Her neck and face has been bruised because of the accident. My husband has sustained injuries on his hand and leg. But we have been saved. We reacted very fast and somehow managed to come out of the train,” said Ms Noorjahan, Mr Sahab’s wife.