Personal Letters
Descriptive Writing

Write a letter to your mother for traumatic experience of Four bogies of the train caught fire



You were travelling from Delhi to Amritsar by Frontier Mail. Four bogies of the train caught fire. You were a witness to the tragedy. Describe your traumatic experience to your mother.

F - 35, Jamia Nagar,
New Delhi,
August 10, 2010
My Dear Mom ,
I telephoned you from Ludhiana at 5 a.m. to inform you that I was safe and sound. Now in the letter I want to tell you how. I had to go through trauma of fire and death that I witnessed with my own eyes.
At 4.00 in the morning the train suddenly came to a halt around 10 kms. ahead of Ludhiana. We heard heart-rending cries of the passengers. I, along with other passengers, rushed down the train. It was a horrible sight to see the four compartments burning and people struggling to come out. The passages of the four compartments were blocked by the luggage of the unauthorized passengers travelling in the compartment without reservations. It was because of the agility of the military personnel travelling by that train that saved the rest of the train from catching fire. Army-men pulled the chain and separated the compartments on fire from the rest of the train.
Meanwhile the villagers, the passengers and the railway staff from Ludhiana began rescue operations with lightning speed. By that time huge loss of life and material had been caused. I went into the coach on fire and helped a number of people escape. It was in the fit of horror that I flung the children to the crowd standing on the track. Most of the deaths were caused because the exit of the compartments were blocked. It was difficult to believe that children, women and the old were charred to death. Passengers were searching for their relatives by examining each and every limb among the charred remains. The fire was so intense that the bodies were burnt beyond recognition. Even relations were finding it difficult to identify the bodies.

Many theories are afloat about the cause of the fire. But it is too early to say anything. One fact is still hurting me. Many lives could have been saved. But Indian trains are without extinguishers and emergency exits. Heat expanded the doors which got stuck. Secondly, railway authorities do not impose the rules strictly about carrying stoves, cylinders, fuel etc. I feel that this tragedy is just caused by man's indifference to the safety of others.
The role of army and the villagers was commendable which kept the number of casualties to the minimum. It is estimated that 40 passengers died in the devastating fire. The dead bodies wrapped in white sheets were horrible sight to look at.
There are many heart-rending stories of the individual passengers that I will not be able to forget throughout my life. The cause of fire has not been ascertained so far. But how does it matter to those who have suffered irreparable loss in the tragedy?
With love,
Yours affectionately,
ABCD