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.