A fire broke out in an AC coach of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express near Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, on Monday morning [1].
The incident highlights the critical nature of rapid emergency response in high-speed rail corridors where passenger density is high. A delay in evacuation could have resulted in significant casualties given the confined nature of air-conditioned coaches.
The blaze started around 5:30 a.m. [2] in the B-1 AC coach of Train No. 12431 [3]. The train was traveling through the West Central Railway’s Kota Division, specifically between the Luni Richha and Vikramgarh Alot stations [4].
Railway staff and fire units responded to the emergency to evacuate the vehicle. According to reports, 68 passengers were rescued from the affected coach [1]. No injuries were reported following the evacuation [5].
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the fire. The cause remains under investigation [6].
While most reports identify the vehicle as the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express, some safety alerts described the train as the Kerala Rajdhani Express [4]. Both descriptions refer to the Thiruvananthapuram Hazrat Nizamuddin route.
“68 passengers were rescued from the affected coach”
This incident underscores the operational risks associated with aging or malfunctioning electrical systems in AC coaches on long-distance routes. The successful evacuation of 68 people without injury suggests that the railway's emergency protocols and the swift response of the Kota Division staff were effective in preventing a mass-casualty event.
