Chandigarh, 18 October (H.S.): A coach of the Amritsar-Saharsa Garib Rath Express (12204) was engulfed in flames near Sirhind railway station in Punjab's Fatehgarh Sahib district on Saturday morning. While no casualties were reported, several passengers sustained minor injuries during the chaotic evacuation.The incident occurred around 7:30 AM, shortly after the train had passed Sirhind.

A passenger noticed smoke emanating from coach G-19 near the village of Brahman Majra and immediately raised an alarm by pulling the emergency chain, bringing the train to an abrupt halt.As smoke and flames began to intensify, panic triggered a stampede-like situation among passengers, who scrambled to disembark.

In the ensuing rush to get off the train, several people were injured. The Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) and the pilot promptly informed the railway control room.Emergency services, including railway officials, the fire brigade, and police teams, were immediately dispatched to the location. According to a preliminary investigation, the fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit.

Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control after approximately one hour.In an official statement, the railway authorities confirmed the incident and stated that passengers from the affected coach were quickly transferred to other compartments.

The statement assured that the fire was extinguished promptly and the train would resume its journey shortly.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar