Fire in Rajdhani Express coach leads to 68 safe evacuations

A fire broke out early Sunday in the air-conditioned B1 coach of the Thiruvananthapuram–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express, prompting an emergency evacuation of passengers between Luni Richha and Vikramgarh Alot stations in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district. The blaze was reported shortly after 5 a.m., and officials said all 68 people in the affected coach were evacuated safely, with no injuries or casualties.

According to railway personnel, the onboard guard noticed smoke and flames and alerted the loco pilot, who brought the train to a stop. Crews from the Railway Protection Force, along with railway staff and other officials, evacuated passengers immediately and cleared the coach in about 15 minutes. Nearby coaches were also emptied as a precaution while teams assessed the situation and tackled the fire.

Safety measures were implemented quickly after the incident was detected. Officials said the overhead electric supply was switched off, the affected coach was detached from the rest of the rake, and the fire was subsequently brought under control. Divisional Railway Manager Anil Kalra said in a statement that all passengers were safe and that there were no casualties.