Rajdhani Express accident: Massive blaze under control, but 5-6 trains affected

No casualties have been reported so far after a fire broke out on Sunday in an AC coach of the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (12431).

The massive fire, which began at around 5:15 AM on Sunday morning near Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam region, quickly spread to an SLR coach adjacent to the B-1 AC coach.

Visuals from the scene show thick plumes of smoke billowing from both coaches, as the 68 passengers of the B-1 coach were quickly evacuated.

The fire in both coaches also led to railway officials separating and isolating them, as the local fire brigade extinguished the fire. The overhead electricity supply (OHE) was also switched off as a safety precaution.

While additional coaches are on the way to transport some of the affected passengers, the remaining portion of the train is also expected to depart within the hour.

According to Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Saurabh Jain, the incident is expected to affect "approximately 5 or 6 trains" going in both directions.

In fact, railway officials have already confirmed that the Mumbai Central-Jaipur Superfast Express (12955) was halted at the Mahidpur Road station due to the emergency track restrictions on the affected stretch at Ratlam.

Passengers have been advised to look at the railway website or contact the helpline (139) for further information.

While initial reports claim that it was short circuit that likely caused the fire, an official probe has been launched to verify this.

"The train is currently stationary, and it will depart as soon as a diesel engine arrives. Affected passengers have been provided with food and will be adjusted in other coaches. Additionally, a new coach is being planned in Kota to shift the affected passengers, ensuring they face no inconvenience," explained West Central Railway Headquarters CPRO Harshit Shrivastava.