TAMIL NADU: Southern Railway on Monday restored train movement in the affected section following the incident in which a freight train carrying diesel caught fire near Tiruvallur railway station in Tamil Nadu a day ago.

The Up Slow line was reopened for traffic at 12:47 am, and the Erode-Chennai Yercaud Express was the first train to pass the spot around 3 am on Monday.

Restoration work is still ongoing on other lines, officials said.

According to officials, the fire spread to the last three wagons of the train, prompting railway authorities to suspend all EMU local train services in the Chennai-Arakkonam section as a safety measure. The Overhead Equipment (OHE) power supply was also switched off.

Southern Railway also issued helpline numbers for passengers after the incident, which caused major disruption to services.

People living in the vicinity of Tiruvallur Railway Station were also evacuated to a safe place after the fire triggered a massive blaze, the District Collector M Prathap said.

He said that on receiving the information from the railways, the district administration, along with the district police and all other departments, mobilised in a record time.

"We have taken steps to mitigate the disaster. Initially, there were some 52 bogies along with the vehicle and around 40 bogies have been detached and moved away from the burning train. People living nearby have been evacuated and moved to a safe place. Basic necessities are being provided to them. Fire teams from nearby cities and districts are also being mobilised... Fire has almost been brought under control," he said.

"Due to a fire incident near Tiruvallur, overhead power has been switched off as a safety measure. This has led to changes in train operations. Passengers are advised to check the latest updates before travel," Southern Railway said in a statement.

Several trains, including those scheduled to depart from Dr MGR Chennai Central station, were cancelled or affected.