The deadly train fire that took the lives of nine people last week was not a terrorist attack, Bulgarian Interior Minister Roumen Petkov said onMarch 10 2008, as quoted by Bulgarian news agency (BTA).

Even though the investigation into the causes of the fire has not been completed, the chance that a terrorist attack was to be blamed was very unlikely, Petkov said.

The initial examination of the two carriages that burned down showed no trace of explosives, home-made detonation devices or easily inflammable materials, he added.

The fire on the Sofia – Kardam train started as it was nearing Cherven Brayg station around midnight on February 28. It started in a couchette carriage, which had 35 people in it at the time, and then spread to a sleeping coach with 27 people.

It lasted about 15 minutes, but was enough for nine people to lose their lives in the flames. Investigators are working on three main possible reasons for the fire - terrorist attack, accident and criminal misconduct. So far no one had assumed any kind of responsibility for the incident.

The relatives of the nine victims of the fire have already said they would sue both the Government and state-run railway carrier BDZ, as quoted by Dnevnik daily on March 10.

"Everyone in the hierarchy, starting from the transport minister and BDZ chief, down to it employees, should pay for what happened, although the carriage attendants should not become scapegoats," the daily quoted the relatives as saying.