A coach of the Sasaram-Patna passenger train caught fire and was completely gutted at Sasaram railway station on Monday [1].
The incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding the safety and electrical maintenance of passenger rail carriages in the region.
The fire broke out at around six a.m. [2] on May 18, 2026 [3]. The train was parked at Platform No. 6 [1] of the station, located in the Rohtas district of Bihar.
Passengers on the train experienced panic as flames engulfed the carriage. Railway officials and fire-brigade personnel responded to the scene to battle the blaze and manage the evacuation of the platform.
Preliminary assessments suggest that a short circuit ignited the fire [1]. While the coach was entirely destroyed, the rapid response from emergency services prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the train or the station infrastructure.
Railway officials are currently reviewing the cause of the electrical failure. This event follows a pattern of suspected short circuits in older rolling stock, which often leads to rapid fire spread in passenger compartments.
“A coach of the Sasaram-Patna passenger train caught fire and was completely gutted”
The destruction of a full coach due to a suspected short circuit underscores the critical need for modernized electrical systems and more rigorous preventative maintenance in Bihar's rail network to avoid potential mass-casualty events.
