Fire erupts in Rajdhani Express near Ratlam, all passengers evacuated safely

A massive fire broke out in the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district early on Sunday, prompting an emergency evacuation of passengers after flames were spotted in one of the coaches.

According to railway officials, the incident occurred in the train’s B-1 coach and an adjoining SLR (Seating cum Luggage Rake) coach of Train No. 12431 at around 5:15 am between Luni Richha and Vikramgarh Alot stations under the West Central Railway’s Kota Division. There were 68 passengers in the affected coach when the fire was detected. No injuries or casualties have been reported.

The train’s guard first noticed smoke and flames emerging from the compartment and immediately alerted the loco pilot, following which the train was brought to a halt and emergency evacuation procedures were launched.

Railway officials said the overhead electric (OHE) supply was cut off immediately to prevent further risk, while the affected B-1 coach was detached from the train to stop the fire from spreading.

Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, onboard railway staff and other officials evacuated passengers from the affected coach within nearly 15 minutes. Nearby coaches were also cleared as a precaution.

“All passengers of the affected coach were safely deboarded. No injury or casualty to any passenger or railway staff. OHE supply was cut immediately. The affected B-1 coach was detached from the rake,” West Central Railway’s Kota Division said in an official statement.

Relief and rescue teams from the Kota Railway Division were rushed to the site soon after the incident was reported. Senior railway officials, including Divisional Railway Manager Anil Kalra, along with police and fire department personnel, reached the spot to oversee rescue and restoration efforts.

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Kota Division Saurabh Jain said railway authorities were arranging additional coaches from Kota, while the remaining portion of the train was expected to resume its journey after operational formalities were completed.

The fire also disrupted train movement on the crucial Delhi-Mumbai route for nearly two hours as officials carried out rescue operations and safety inspections.

The exact cause of the blaze remains unknown, and railway authorities have launched an investigation. Officials are examining the damaged coach and related equipment to determine what triggered the fire.

The incident marks the second such railway fire in less than two weeks. On May 15, a fire broke out in two air-conditioned coaches of the Hyderabad-Jaipur Special Express at Nampally Railway Station shortly before its scheduled departure. No casualties were reported in that incident as well.