Two Mishaps in 1 Operation: Rajdhani Express Coach Catches Fire, Relief Van Crash Leaves 5 Injured

A chain of incidents unfolded in Ratlam district, Madhya Pradesh , on Sunday after a fire in a Rajdhani Express coach was followed by a separate road accident involving railway staff heading to the spot.

Earlier in the morning, a fire broke out in an AC coach of the Thiruvananthapuram–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express (Train No. 12431) around 5.15 am, between Vikramgarh Alot and Lunirichha stations under the Kota railway division . The blaze occurred in the B 1 coach , which was carrying 68 passengers at the time.

Railway officials responded quickly and managed to detach the affected coach from the rest of the train to prevent the fire from spreading. The overhead electric supply was also switched off as a safety precaution. The fire was subsequently brought under control and doused , and all passengers were safely evacuated and deboarded . No casualties or injuries were reported, and arrangements were made to shift passengers to other coaches for onward travel up to Kota .

While restoration work was in progress, another incident occurred when a railway van carrying repair equipment overturned on its way to Alot . The vehicle was transporting essential material for overhead electric line repair and other emergency restoration work. Officials said the accident happened after a cow suddenly came onto the road , causing the driver to lose control.

In this mishap, five railway staffers were injured , including one critically injured . All the injured were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital and later referred to Kota in Rajasthan for advanced treatment.

Officials confirmed that the train fire had been fully controlled and there were no passenger casualties. However, the incidents briefly disrupted train movement on the Mumbai–Delhi route , affecting operations in the region.

Authorities have launched an investigation into both incidents, while railway teams continue restoration and safety checks to prevent such emergencies in the future.