Railway officials evacuated 68 passengers [1] after a fire broke out in a coach of the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express.
The incident highlights the critical role of rapid emergency response in preventing mass casualties during transit accidents on India's high-speed rail network.
The fire occurred in the B-1 coach [2] while the train was traveling through the Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh [3]. The location was identified as being between the Luni Richha and Vikramgarh Alot stations, or between Alord and Luni Richha [3, 4], under the West Central Railway’s Kota division [3].
Reports on the exact timing of the incident vary. One report cited Saturday, May 17, 2024 [5], while another report cited Sunday, May 18, 2024 [6].
Railway protection force personnel and train staff managed the evacuation. The response team included the coach attendant, ticket examiner, and loco pilot, whose coordinated actions prevented a major tragedy [1, 3]. All 68 passengers [1] were moved to safety before the fire could spread further through the train.
Officials said they have not yet released the cause of the fire. The train was operating on its route between Thiruvananthapuram and Hazrat Nizamuddin when the emergency occurred in the B-1 coach [2, 3].
“All 68 passengers were evacuated safely.”
The successful evacuation of the Rajdhani Express underscores the importance of onboard staff training and the effectiveness of the Railway Protection Force in crisis management. While the lack of an immediate cause for the fire leaves safety questions unanswered, the absence of casualties demonstrates that emergency protocols for high-occupancy coaches are functioning as intended.
