Improper maintenance of rolling stock and lack of supervision led to 15 fire-related incidents in trains in the last five months, the Railway Board has said. In a letter written last week, the board asked zonal units to take corrective measures to minimise such incidents, PTI reported on Friday.

The letter was addressed to general managers of all zones.

“In the last five months, there are 15 cases of fire accidents/incidents reported over zonal railways involving locomotives, coaching stock and freight stock due to various reasons like miscreant activities, improper maintenance of rolling stock, loading of prohibited items,” the letter dated May 31 said.

Apart from laxity in maintenance of rolling stock and lack of supervision, the incidents also indicate “slack supervision of commodities being loaded and insufficient security”, the letter said. The letter also listed incidents in Central Railway and North Central Railway, where fire broke out due to improper maintenance.