FIRE PREVENTION MEASURES IN PASSENGER COACHES

1. FIRE RETARDANT FURNISHING MATERIALS IN COACHES: Indian Railways have always endeavored to enhance fire worthiness of coaches by using more and more fire retardant furnishing materials. This is primarily aimed at giving

reasonable evacuation by retarding initation of fire, its spread out in case of fire ensuring that toxicity of products of combustion and loss of visibility due to smoke do not hinder evacuation.
a. While the efforts to incorporate fire retardancy in coach furnishing materials began in mid 1990s, specifications of such furnishing materials have been periodically upgraded/revised so as to incorporate following fire retardancy parameters in line with UIC/other international norms: i. Resistance to spread of flame: so as to resist catching fire in case of small temporary ignitions and delay fire propagation in its initial stage and also provide self extinguishing feature Loss of visibility due to smoke: so that visibility in case of fire is not affected and evacuation is easier Toxicity Index: so as to avoid passengers getting asphyxiated and becoming immobile under influence of toxic fumes. Limiting oxygen Index: Higher limiting oxygen index is kept so that item requires more and more oxygen/air for sustained burning.

ii. iii. iv.

b. In Railway coaches, main fire retardant furnishing material being used are upholstery for seats and berths, AC coach curtains, Wooden and FRP panels on side walls and partitions, NFTC roof sheets, PVC flooring, compreg flooring, cushioning material for seats and berths, FRP windows and UIC vestibules used in the passage interconnecting two coaches. All new procurements of furnishing materials for manufacture of new coaches and maintenance/ overhaul of existing coaches is being done to the revised specifications with effect from around 2007 onwards incorporating fire retardant properties. 2. As per MoU between the Ministry of Railways and French National Railways Fire simulation software facility has been created recently in Research Design and Standards Organization and same is now being utilized for further studying fire behavior of materials under various conditions and also for their upgradation. 3. Field trials have also been carried out with Fire and Smoke detection system on one Rajdhani rake and further field trials are planned. This system gives audio and visual alerts of fire/smoke in its very early stage when this may not be visible even with naked eyes and facilitate early preventive action/evacuation. Sanction for 30 rakes 750 coaches is available and RCF has been advised for provision on rakes for which procurement is under process for one rake initially by RCF. 4. Indian Railways is also setting up a Fire Test Lab at RDSO, Lucknow to have better understanding and testing the fire worthiness of various materials that go in the coach

furnishing. This facility shall also help Research, Design & Standards Organization (RDSO), and Lucknow to develop better fire retardant materials for coaches. 5. 4 nos of emergency exits windows are being provided in each coach so as to provide alternative escape routes to passengers in case of accidents including fire. 6. Fire Posters are being provided in every coach so as to inform and alert passengers regarding various Dos and Donts to prevent fire. These include messages such as no to carry any inflammable material, explosives, prohibition of smoking inside the coaches, penalties etc. 7. Modification in Fuse distribution boxes of Non AC coaches have been carried out so as to prevent insertion of bidi, cigarettes or any other inflammable material in the slots by the passengers which was possible in the earlier design. 8. Railway Board has recently issued notification for comprehensive fire safety audit on railways for material used in coach construction and its maintenance, system of checking for carrying inflammable materials on trains, availability of fire extinguishers, training of manpower in handling fire and fire safety equipments etc. In this regard, two different committees have been constituted. 9. As a fire Safety measure, 2 nos of fire extinguishers are being provided in all AC coaches and SLRs in trains. All Locomotives are also being provided with 2 nos of Fire extinguishers. Pantry cars are being provided with 4 nos of fire extinguishers. 10. Instructions have been issued from Board for provision of suitable fire suppression system on AC pantry cars and LHB power cars by RCF/KXH. For pantry cars, RDSO has floated an EOI. 11. Railways have been advised from the Board that all on board C&W staff should be provided with preliminary fire fighting training such as operation of fire extinguishers. It should also be ensured that only those C&W staff are deputed on on-board duties who have been imparted such training. 12. For improving evacuation from AC compartments in case of fire emergencies, Board has recently advised PUs to develop AC compartment doors which are openable from both sides (i.e. inside and outside). Presently AC compartment doors open only inside compartment side. This was also one of the CRS recommendation in a Fire Accident case in Howrah Deharadoon Express in Nov 2011. 13. RDSO is exploring feasibility of upgradation of specification of different furnishing items as per EN 45545 which is harmonized European Railway standard for fire safety norms. 14. Feasibility for use of self activating fire extinguishing ball is being explored.