Daijiworld Media Network - Patna

Patna, May 18: A passenger train en route to Patna caught fire on Monday morning after a blaze broke out in one of its coaches near Sasaram railway station in Bihar, officials confirmed.

The incident occurred around 6 a.m. on the Sasaram–Patna fast passenger train while it was stationed at the platform shortly before departure. Railway authorities suspect that a short circuit may have triggered the fire, though an official investigation is underway.

Panic spread among passengers and people present at the station as thick smoke billowed from the affected coach. However, officials confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were reported.

Railway Protection Force personnel and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot soon after the alert and managed to bring the blaze under control. Despite the swift response, one coach was completely destroyed due to the intensity of the fire.

Authorities have begun the process of detaching the damaged coach and conducting safety inspections before resuming services. Train schedules in the section are also being adjusted temporarily.

The incident comes just a day after a similar fire was reported in two rear coaches of a Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express near Kota in Rajasthan. In that case too, all passengers were safely evacuated without injuries.

Following the recent back-to-back incidents, railway authorities have initiated a nationwide safety audit of fire detection systems and related infrastructure across coaches to strengthen passenger safety and prevent such occurrences in the future.