Patiala, Nov 6 : Four coaches of the Karmabhoomi Express, travelling from Amritsar to New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, caught fire near Sarai Banjara in Punjab’s Patiala district on Friday, but all passengers were evacuated safely, railway officials said.
No injuries or casualties were reported in the incident, which occurred between Rajpura and Sadhu Garh railway stations.
Ambala Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) Vinod Kumar Bhatia said the loco pilot and guard noticed the automatic chain pulling (ACP) and a drop in pressure, following which they brought the train to a halt.
“After getting down, they noticed fire and smoke and immediately took precautions,” Bhatia told reporters.
He said all passengers were evacuated and the affected coaches were detached to prevent the fire from spreading to the remaining coaches.
The guard informed the railway control room, following which train movement on the other line was also regulated as a precautionary measure, the DRM said.
Initially, the fire was noticed in one coach but subsequently spread to three others. Strong winds at the time may have contributed to the spread of the blaze, Bhatia said.
A total of four coaches were affected, but all passengers escaped unhurt, he added.
Railway authorities took steps to isolate the affected coaches and regulate train operations in the section. The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained.
In a similar incident in Bihar in August, a fire broke out on the Samastipur-Saharsa Passenger train at Simri Bakhtiyarpur railway station in Saharsa district.
The blaze reportedly started near the train’s middle engine and spread to three coaches, triggering panic among passengers and railway staff.
Passengers began evacuating the coaches after noticing flames and thick smoke. All of them reportedly managed to get out safely.
Fire tenders and railway officials rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. Firefighters subsequently brought the blaze under control.
The latest incident comes amid concerns over fire safety in passenger trains. However, the cause of Friday’s blaze in the Karmabhoomi Express was not immediately known, and railway authorities were expected to ascertain the circumstances leading to it.
