A fire broke out in an air-conditioned coach of the Thiruvananthapuram–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express on Sunday morning, May 17, 2026 [3].
The incident disrupted one of India's premier rail routes and necessitated an emergency evacuation to prevent casualties on a high-speed line.
The fire erupted in the B-1 AC coach of train number 12431 [2]. Railway Protection Force staff and other railway personnel coordinated the evacuation of approximately 68 passengers [1]. No casualties or injuries were reported following the incident [1].
Reports on the exact location of the fire vary. Some sources place the incident in the Alot-Luni Richha section of the Ratlam district in Madhya Pradesh [1]. Other reports indicate the fire occurred near the Kota division of the West Central Railway, closer to the Kota district of Rajasthan [2].
Railway authorities stopped the train immediately after the fire was detected. The sudden halt affected traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai route, causing temporary delays for other services in the region.
Officials have not yet identified the cause of the blaze. The incident is currently under investigation by railway authorities to determine if the fire was caused by a technical failure or other factors [1].
“No casualties or injuries were reported following the incident.”
This event highlights the critical role of the Railway Protection Force in emergency response and the inherent vulnerabilities of AC coach electrical systems in long-distance trains. While the lack of casualties demonstrates effective evacuation protocols, the disruption to the Delhi-Mumbai corridor underscores how a single coach fire can impact regional rail logistics.
