Pol Maj Sukhon Rat-iam, the duty officer at Kanchanaburi Muang District police station, said the fire was noticed at about 8.20am, shortly after the international luxury train with 17 coaches carrying almost 200 tourists, most of them Europeans, departed from Don Rak station.
The train from Singaporevia Malaysia to Kanchanaburi, was powered by two locomotives – one at the front and the other at the rear
Pichitsamart Suntaranusorn, one of the two train drivers, said that when the train was about 500 metres from Don Rak station he saw heavy smoke pouring from the front train engine.
He and the other train driver, Narong Chuenchom, stopped the train and disconnected the front locomotive. The passenger coaches were then pulled back to Don Rak station by the rear engine.
Mr Pichitsamart said the tourists in the train’s airconditioned coaches were not aware what was happening, though they were informed of the fire when they returned to Don Rak station.
Six fire engines from Kanchanaburi Municipality were sent to the scene and extinguished the fire in 45 minutes, but not before the locomotive was severely damaged.
Maj Sukhon said a preliminary investigation has been conducted on the cause of the fire. He said the locomotive had been in use for about 30 years.
Manit Noysang, the train’s superviser, said the train arrived in Kanchanaburi from Singapore at 10.30pm last night. The tourists spent the night in the luxury coaches.
The train was originally scheduled to return to Singapore tonight.
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