NEW DELHI: Panic gripped passengers onboard the Thiruvananthapuram–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express after a fire broke out in an air-conditioned coach in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district early Sunday morning.The blaze erupted around 5.15 am in the B-1 coach of Train No. 12431 between Vikramgarh Alot and Lunirichha stations under the Kota railway division.Passengers evacuated safelyRailway officials said the affected coach, which had 68 passengers onboard, was evacuated within 15 minutes after the fire was detected.West Central Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Harshit Shrivastava told PTI that the train had departed from Ratlam Junction around 3.45 am before the fire broke out.“All the passengers were deboarded from the affected coach in 15 minutes. The fire also damaged the second luggage-cum-guard van (SLR) attached behind the B-1 coach,” Shrivastava said.The affected coach was detached from the rake, while the overhead electric supply (OHE) was immediately switched off as a safety measure before firefighting operations began.Videos show panic near tracksVideos circulating online showed large numbers of passengers and local residents standing along the railway tracks as thick black smoke billowed from the detached coach.Fire brigade teams were seen carrying out firefighting operations at the spot.Railway authorities also dispatched medical teams and emergency response personnel to the site to assist passengers and monitor the situation.Five railway staff injured in rescue vehicle accidentIn a separate incident linked to the rescue operations, five railway staffers were injured, one of them critically, after a van carrying repair equipment to the site overturned in the Ratlam district.According to officials, the vehicle was carrying essential equipment for overhead electric line repair and other restoration work from Shyamnagar to Alot when the accident occurred.CPRO Harshit Shrivastava said the van overturned after a cow suddenly came onto the road. The injured railway personnel were rushed for treatment, while restoration work at the site continued.How the event unfolded?Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Saurabh Jain said railway staff acted swiftly after spotting the fire. “This morning at 5.15 am, a fire incident was reported in Train No. 12431, the Rajdhani Express travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Nizamuddin, specifically in the rear SLR and B1 coach of the Kota division,” Saurabh said.“Upon noticing the fire, railway staff promptly evacuated all passengers, separated the affected coach from the rest of the train, and informed the fire brigade, state administration, and railway authorities,” he said.“Immediate action ensured the safety of all passengers. The fire has been almost completely controlled. Three fire brigade units, ambulances, and civil administration are on-site, working collaboratively,” he added.Railway officials said the damaged coach and guard van were detached from the train after the blaze was brought under control. Kota railway PRO Ravindra Lakhara said passengers from the affected coach were accommodated in other coaches for their onward journey till Kota.Mumbai-Delhi rail traffic affectedThe incident disrupted train movement on the busy Mumbai-Delhi route, affecting around five to six trains. Several trains were halted at nearby stations as restoration work continued on the tracks between Lunirichha and Vikramgarh Alot stations.Ratlam Divisional Railway Manager Ajay Kumar Kalara monitored the rescue and restoration operations. Railway authorities also deployed a relief train and tower wagon for restoration work.The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined and an investigation is underway.
