Fire Breaks Out in Rajdhani Express Near Ratlam: Delhi-Mumbai Rail Route Suspended, 68 Passengers Deboarded Safely

Early morning blaze in AC coach triggers emergency response; no casualties reported

A fire erupted in an AC coach of the Thiruvananthapuram-Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (12431) during the early hours of Sunday, forcing authorities to temporarily suspend traffic along the busy Delhi-Mumbai rail route.

Fire Breaks Out

The incident occurred around 5:15 am between Luniricha and Vikramgarh Alot stations in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district, before the premium train could cross into Rajasthan. According to railway officials, the fire started in coach B1 of the train.

Emergency hooters were immediately sounded at Kota Junction following initial reports. Rescue and relief teams were dispatched to the location without delay.

Passengers Evacuated

Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Saurabh Jain confirmed that 68 passengers were onboard the affected coach. "No casualties or injuries have been reported so far," he said.

The train guard first noticed the fire and promptly alerted the loco pilot, officials said. The train was brought to an immediate halt, and railway staff managed to evacuate all passengers from the affected compartment within approximately 15 minutes.

Despite the swift evacuation, flames spread rapidly through the coach within minutes.

Delhi-Mumbai Route Hit

Rail traffic on the crucial Delhi-Mumbai corridor was temporarily stopped as a precautionary measure following the blaze. The train's power supply was disconnected, and the affected coach was detached from the rest of the train.

The Rajdhani Express had departed from Ratlam Junction at around 3:45 am on Sunday, with its next scheduled halt at Kota Junction at 8:45 am. The fire broke out near Vikramgarh Alot station before the train could reach Rajasthan.

Investigation Underway

Senior officers and technical teams from the Kota railway division have reached the site. Restoration work is currently underway, though officials did not provide a timeline for when normal traffic would resume on the route.

Railway authorities have launched an investigation to determine what caused the fire in the AC coach. Initial reports indicate the blaze engulfed two coaches of the train before it could be brought under control.

7 Elephants Killed in Assam After Rajdhani Express Hits Herd

A tragic Assam train accident early Saturday morning claimed the lives of seven elephants, including an adult female, when the Sairang–New Delhi Rajdhani Express struck a herd crossing the tracks in Hojai district. The collision, which occurred near Changjurai village at around 2:17 am, also caused the train’s engine and five coaches to derail.

Officials suspect that dense fog in the area drastically reduced visibility, contributing to the accident. While reports initially indicated eight elephant deaths, it was later confirmed that one calf survived but remains critically injured. Fortunately, no passengers sustained injuries.

Dense Fog and Unpredictable Wildlife Movement Cited as Key Factors

According to Suhas Kadam, Divisional Forest Officer of Nagaon, the tragic collision likely occurred because of extremely low visibility caused by thick fog. “The area was under dense fog when the train was passing. The elephants may have been trying to cross the tracks when the train appeared suddenly,” he said.

Forest officials and veterinary teams rushed to the site shortly after the incident. The carcasses of the elephants are being examined and will be cremated near the accident site as part of a standard forest protocol. The injured calf is receiving medical treatment under continuous supervision.

Emergency Braking Failed to Prevent Collision

Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, Chief Public Relations Officer of the North East Frontier Railway (NFR), confirmed that the accident occurred on the Jamunamukh-Kanpur section under the Lumding division, around 126 km from Guwahati. The location is not a designated elephant corridor, which complicates conservation efforts.

“The loco pilot applied emergency brakes upon spotting the herd, but the proximity was too close to prevent impact. The engine and five coaches derailed due to the collision,” Sharma explained.

Environmentalists have renewed calls for better monitoring and fencing along railway lines cutting through known elephant habitats in Assam.

Train Movement Restored After Four Hours

Following the derailment, railway officials immediately shifted passengers from the affected coaches to vacant berths in other compartments. The damaged coaches were later detached, and the train resumed its journey to Guwahati around 6:11 am—roughly four hours after the incident.

Track restoration work began soon after, with officials diverting other trains through an alternate line. Senior railway authorities, including the NFR General Manager and the Divisional Railway Manager of Lumding, visited the site to assess the situation.

The Assam train accident has once again highlighted the ongoing challenge of balancing wildlife conservation with expanding rail connectivity in the region. Experts emphasize the urgent need for early-warning systems and better coordination between forest and railway departments to avoid such tragic losses in the future.