New Delhi: A major accident was averted on Friday after a fire broke out in four coaches of the Bihar-bound Karmabhoomi Express near Sarai Banjara, close
to Rajpura in Punjab. Fortunately, no injuries or casualties have been reported so far, as passengers managed to evacuate the compartments well in time.
The blaze reportedly started inside the train’s pantry car before spreading to the adjoining coaches. An immediate alarm sounded through the rake, alerting the commuters on board. Due to the timely warning, people were able to exit without panic or stampede-like conditions.
Local authorities and emergency teams rushed to the site shortly after being alerted, bringing the flames under control and securing the surrounding railway tracks.
#WATCH | Rajpura, Punjab: Fire breaks out in 4 coaches of Karmabhumi Express in the Ambala division; no casualties reported
Northern Railway CPRO Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay stated that the train stopped safely after its safety system was triggered near Sarai Banjara station. The fire is being brought under control; senior officials are on-site, and no injuries have been reported.
— ANI (@ANI) November 6, 2026
Timely evacuation leaves no casualties
Patiala Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal confirmed the sequence of events, stating that the district administration received the call roughly 45 minutes before addressing the press.
“The initial information suggested that the fire had started in the pantry and subsequently spread to a couple of coaches,” Aggarwal said. He added that the onboard fire alarm went off quickly, allowing passengers to evacuate safely, and confirmed that teams from the district administration had reached the spot to supervise relief operations.
Because of the prompt evacuation, everyone got out safely, and the local administration has reported zero casualties from the site.
High-level probe ordered by Railways
Senior railway officials have reached the spot to take stock of the damage and oversee track clearance. The extent of the property loss and damage sustained by the four affected coaches is currently being evaluated.
Meanwhile, the Railways has ordered a high-level inquiry into the accident to establish the exact cause of the blaze. Railway officials stated that the probe will look into all possible angles to understand the precise circumstances that led to the incident.
Further details regarding the clearance of the route and subsequent train movements remain awaited.
