A fire broke out in two coaches of the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express on Sunday morning near Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh [1].
The incident disrupted rail traffic on one of India's primary long-distance routes and prompted an immediate government investigation into safety protocols.
The fire affected the B-1 AC coach and the rear SLR coach [1]. Emergency responders evacuated 68 passengers from the train [2]. Officials said there were zero casualties following the blaze [1].
The fire occurred between Alot and Vikramgarh railway stations [2]. This section of the track is part of the route connecting Thiruvananthapuram and Hazrat Nizamuddin.
Authorities identified the train as number 12431 [1]. While the fire was extinguished, the cause of the ignition remains unknown.
A high-level probe has been ordered to determine why the fire started and how the onboard safety systems performed [1]. Railway officials said the investigation will focus on the technical state of the affected coaches.
Rail traffic in the Ratlam area experienced disruptions as crews worked to secure the site and manage the affected train. The evacuation process was completed without one person being injured [1].
“Two coaches were engulfed in flames on Sunday morning”
The occurrence of a fire in high-profile Rajdhani Express coaches—specifically an AC coach—raises questions about the maintenance and fire-suppression capabilities of premium rolling stock. The order for a high-level probe suggests that the railway administration views this as a systemic failure rather than an isolated incident, potentially leading to new safety audits across the fleet.
