A fire broke out in four coaches of the Amritsar-to-New Jalpaiguri Karmabhumi Express near Sarai Banjara in Punjab. Officials confirmed zero casualties, with passengers safely evacuated and transferred to a replacement train for their journey.
Train Fire Incident in Punjab
Rajpura (Punjab) [India], November 6 (ANI): A major train fire was averted from turning into a mass tragedy after a fire broke out across four coaches of the Amritsar-to-New Jalpaiguri Karmabhumi Express near Sarai Banjara station in Punjab’s Ambala division on Friday. Officials confirmed that no casualties or injuries have been reported in the incident. The unreserved train came to a safe stop after its automated safety system was triggered near Sarai Banjara station, allowing passengers to evacuate.
According to Northern Railway Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, fire tenders and senior officials rushed to the scene immediately, bringing the blaze under control and securing the site. The railway authorities have not yet determined how or why the fire started. A formal technical probe will be conducted to inspect electrical lines, mechanical systems, or potential external factors. The immediate operational priority of Northern Railway is passenger relief and logistics, overriding secondary concerns like asset damage or scheduling delays.
Passenger Safety and Emergency Response
To avoid stranding passengers on the tracks, the railways set up an emergency transfer plan. Passengers were guided on foot to a station 500 meters away to board a replacement train dispatched to complete their journey to New Jalpaiguri or intermediate stops.
Official Statements on Rescue Efforts
Addressing media personnel at the site, Yashanjit Singh, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (DCM), Ambala Division, said, “This is currently a matter of inquiry. We will have to look into the cause. Our primary concern right now is ensuring that the passengers reach their destinations safely. To that end, we have arranged an alternative train. We have requested the passengers to proceed to a nearby station—about 500 meters away—from where we will ensure they are transported safely to their homes… We have received no information regarding any casualties. Three coaches caught fire; a fourth one was also slightly affected… This train was travelling from Amritsar to New Jalpaiguri; it was an unreserved train. Our main focus right now is ensuring that the passengers reach home safely, and we have made alternative arrangements for that.”
The Karmabhumi Express connects Amritsar (Punjab) in the west to New Jalpaiguri (West Bengal) in the east, covering a major long-distance route across North/East India. Unreserved trains typically carry high passenger volumes (migrant workers, daily travellers, families) without seat assignments, making rapid evacuation and passenger accounting particularly challenging—and making the zero-casualty outcome notable. Rail authorities confirmed that three coaches suffered severe fire damage while a fourth coach was partially impacted. A formal inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the fire. (ANI)
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