A fire on a train carriage has killed nine people in India, after a gas canister used by passengers to make drinks exploded, officials say.

Nine others were injured in the fire, which occurred in the southern city of Madurai in Tamil Nadu state.

The carriage was carrying more than 50 pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and was parked at the station when the cylinder blew up early on Saturday.

Survivors had to break doors to flee the burning carriage, eyewitnesses say.

The coach involved in Saturday’s incident had arrived from Uttar Pradesh earlier in the day.

It was due to remain parked at Madurai station for two days, local media say.

The gas cylinder was illegally taken inside the carriage, officials are quoted as saying.

India suffered one of its worst-ever rail disasters in June when a collision killed 275 people in Odisha state.