Sasaram-Patna passenger train catches fire, triggers panic among passengers | Video

Sasaram:

A fire broke out in a passenger train at Sasaram Railway Station in Bihar on the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay–Gaya rail section, triggering panic among passengers on Monday morning. According to reports, the incident occurred around 6 am when a passenger train travelling from Sasaram to Patna via Arrah suddenly caught fire. Passengers onboard and people present on the platform rushed in panic as flames engulfed one of the coaches. Fortunately, the fire has been brought under control.

Coach completely gutted

One coach of the passenger train was completely gutted in the fire and was later detached from the train. 

Meanwhile, RPF Inspector Sanjeev Kumar said that the fire was brought under control after a strenuous effort. Preliminary reports suggest that a short circuit was the cause of the fire, and the railway administration has initiated an investigation into the incident. He also confirmed that no passengers sustained any injuries during the event. 

However, local residents and rail passengers expressed strong anger over the incident, alleging serious lapses in emergency preparedness. They claimed that if water and fully functional fire extinguishers had been made available on time, the extent of the damage could have been significantly reduced.

Systemic failure

Eyewitnesses alleged that the train suffered extensive damage due to mismanagement by the authorities. They claimed that if water and firefighting equipment had been used promptly, the fire could have been controlled before it spread further.

Locals further alleged that the pipelines meant for water refilling in the train were dry, while several railway fire extinguisher cylinders reportedly had no gas in them. Due to this alleged negligence, the fire could not be contained in its initial stages, and within moments, the train coaches were engulfed in flames.

(Input: Ranjan Singh)

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