Karmabhoomi Express Catches Fire in Punjab; 1,500 Passengers Escape
More than 1,500 passengers escaped unhurt after a fire broke out on board the moving Karmabhoomi Express in Punjab's Patiala district on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred near Sarai Banjara railway station near Rajpura, where flames engulfed three passenger coaches and partially damaged a fourth carriage. The long-distance express train, operating under service number 12508, was traveling from Amritsar toward New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal when the blaze erupted. Railway crew promptly brought the locomotive to a halt and decoupled the burning coaches to prevent flames from spreading across the rest of the train rake.
Electrical Malfunction and Firefighting Efforts
Initial reports from railway authorities indicated that the blaze broke out at approximately 1pm, sparking widespread panic among onboard travelers. Thick plumes of dark smoke billowed from the burning carriages as social media footage captured coaches completely gutted by flames along the rural tracks. According to Government Railway Police SHO Gurpreet Singh, a short circuit in a coach ceiling fan is suspected to have triggered the initial blaze. The fire began inside a single passenger compartment before rapidly spreading to two adjoining carriages. Following the outbreak of the fire, railway authorities shut down both overhead electrical lines and regulated train movements on adjacent tracks, according to Rediff.
Passenger Relief and Technical Investigation
Emergency response teams and local fire brigade units rushed to the scene outside Rajpura and successfully brought the flames under control. Railway officials reported that no casualties occurred among passengers or crew, as travelers evacuated safely into open trackside areas. After extinguishing the flames, railway management initiated logistical steps to transfer travelers to a relief train so they could proceed with their trip. Officials rushed to the spot and took operational steps to bring the fire under control and inspect the track infrastructure. Technical assessment teams awaited further details regarding the extent of physical damage to the passenger bogies.
Senior divisional railway managers initiated standard review procedures to inspect electrical fittings and wiring across passenger compartments. Reports released in New Delhi noted that three coaches of the Karmabhoomi Express were completely charred before emergency personnel extinguished the blaze. Safety personnel examined onboard electrical systems, focusing on power connections to ventilation equipment in affected carriages. Local administrative personnel assisted railway staff in providing water and logistical support to travelers awaiting replacement transport.