Amajor fire broke out on the Samastipur-Saharsa Passenger train at Simri Bakhtiyarpur railway station in Bihar’s Saharsa district early Monday morning.
The blaze spread to three coaches and caused panic among passengers. However, all passengers were evacuated safely in time, preventing any loss of life. Railway officials have started an inquiry to find out what caused the incident.
Fire starts near engine and spreads to coaches
The incident took place around 3:25 a.m. when the Samastipur-Saharsa Passenger train, numbered 63344, was standing at Platform No. 2 of Simri Bakhtiyarpur railway station.
According to initial reports, the fire started near the middle engine of the train and quickly spread to three coaches. Thick smoke and flames were seen rising from the train, creating panic among passengers and railway staff.
Passengers act quickly and escape safely
A large number of passengers were travelling on the train when the fire broke out. As soon as the flames were noticed, passengers began moving out of the coaches.
Passenger Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Saharsa, said he first felt intense heat coming from underneath the coach. When he stepped down to check, he noticed flames and immediately alerted other passengers.
Another passenger, Raju Kumar, said he had boarded the train at Mansi station and was travelling to Simri Bakhtiyarpur. He said a small fire was first noticed near the engine shortly after the train reached the station, but it quickly turned into a major blaze.
Following instructions from station authorities, passengers evacuated the train. Their quick response helped avoid a serious accident.
Firefighters bring blaze under control
After receiving information about the incident, several fire tenders reached the station along with railway officials.
Firefighters immediately started rescue and firefighting operations. After a sustained effort, they managed to bring the fire under control and prevent it from spreading further.
Rail services affected after train fire
The incident disrupted railway operations at Simri Bakhtiyarpur station and delayed several trains.
- Kosi Express (Saharsa-Patna)
- Janaki Express (Manihari-Jaynagar)
- Saharsa-Samastipur Passenger
- Shravani Special (Saharsa-Deoghar)
Station Superintendent Sanjay Kumar Sajjan said train services were affected because of the fire and the emergency response operation.
Railways launch inquiry into cause
Railway officials suspect that a short circuit may have caused the fire. However, the exact reason has not yet been confirmed.
Officials from the Railways and local administration visited the site and supervised relief operations. An inquiry has now been launched to determine the precise cause of the incident.
Authorities are also assessing the damage caused to the three affected coaches. Further details are expected after the investigation is completed.