India, Dec. 29 -- A 70-year-old man died and several passengers narrowly escaped when a fire broke out in two AC coaches of the Tatanagar-Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) at Duvvada in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, early Monday morning, police reported.

The train, running from Tatanagar to Ernakulam via Visakhapatnam, caught fire around 1:30 am after crossing Duvvada, with flames affecting the B1 and M2 AC coaches next to the pantry car.

Railway officials said the blaze was first spotted by the loco pilots near a railway point close to Yelamanchili. The train was immediately stopped at the station, but the fire quickly spread and fully gutted the two coaches before fire personnel could arrive.

Thick smoke inside the coaches c...