Monday, January 17 2005 16:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The high-level inquiry into the blaze in a train in Godhra in which 59 persons were burnt to death that led to subsequent violence in Gujarat in 2002 has found that it was an "accidental fire".

"With the elimination of the 'petrol theory', 'miscreant activity theory' as well as the ruling out of any possibility of 'electrical fire', the fire in S-6 coach of Sabarmati Express can at this stage be ascribed as an 'accidental fire'," Justice U C Banerjee committee, appointed by Railway Minister Laloo Prasad, said in its report.

The report was submitted to Railway Board Chairman R K Singh in New Delhi today (Jan 17, 2005).

Noting that there has been a preponderance of evidence that the fire originated in the coach itself without any external input, the committee "completely ruled out" possibility of an inflammable liquid having been used as there was first a smell of burning, followed by dense smoke and flames thereafter.

"This sequence is not possible in case the fire is caused by inflammable liquid thrown on the floor of the coach or an inflammable object thrown from outside the coach," the two-part interim report said.