Ratlam (Rajeev Sharma): An early morning fire inside an air-conditioned coach of the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express caused alarm in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district on Sunday, forcing railway authorities to act quickly to ensure passenger safety.
The incident was reported around 5:15 am while the train was passing through the Kota division. Smoke was detected in the B-1 coach, which was carrying dozens of passengers at the time.
Railway personnel immediately halted the train and launched evacuation procedures. All travellers inside the affected compartment were safely moved out before the flames could spread further.
Officials later confirmed that none of the 68 passengers onboard the coach suffered injuries. Emergency teams disconnected the damaged coach from the main rake and shut down the overhead electric supply as a precaution to avoid further risk during rescue operations.
Passengers were later accommodated in other coaches so the train could continue its journey with minimal inconvenience. Authorities also announced that a replacement coach would be attached at Kota station to restore the train’s full carrying capacity.
Railway officials said the fire remained limited to the single compartment due to prompt action by onboard staff and local emergency responders.
Senior officers reached the location soon after the incident and supervised the operation. Initial efforts focused on passenger safety and restoring train movement before technical teams began examining the affected coach.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established. Railway engineers have started a detailed probe to determine whether the incident was linked to an electrical short circuit or another mechanical failure.
The swift handling of the emergency has drawn appreciation from passengers, many of whom credited railway staff for maintaining calm and preventing panic during the evacuation.
The Rajdhani Express later resumed its onward journey after safety checks and operational adjustments were completed.
