A fire broke out in the B1 AC coach of the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express on Sunday morning in Madhya Pradesh.
The incident disrupted travel on a major rail corridor and highlighted the risks associated with onboard fires in high-speed express trains. Because the fire occurred while the train was in motion, immediate evacuation was necessary to prevent casualties.
The blaze ignited in the B1 AC coach [2] while the train was traveling between the Alot and Luni Richha railway stations. This section of the track is located in the Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh and falls under the jurisdiction of the West Central Railway's Kota Division [1].
Authorities halted the train to manage the emergency. Emergency responders and railway staff successfully evacuated 68 passengers [1] from the affected area. No injuries were reported in the immediate aftermath of the evacuation.
Traffic on the Delhi-Mumbai route was halted following the incident to allow for emergency interventions and safety assessments. The specific cause of the ignition in the AC coach has not been reported [1].
Railway officials managed the scene in the Ratlam district to ensure the safety of all passengers and crew. The train, also known as the Kerala Rajdhani Express, is a primary link between the southern tip of India and the capital in the north [1].
“68 passengers were evacuated safely”
The evacuation of 68 passengers without reported injuries suggests that emergency protocols for moving trains were executed effectively. However, the disruption of the Delhi-Mumbai route underscores how a single-coach fire can impact national rail logistics, necessitating further investigation into the safety standards of AC coach electrical systems.
