Fire breaks out in coach of Kalka-Howrah train, no casualties

Chandigarh/New Delhi: A fire broke out in the front coach of Kalka-Howrah train on Tuesday, however, no one was injured, a Railway Police official said. The blaze erupted in a seating cum luggage coach in the early hours between Dhirpur to Dhoda Khedia railway stations near Kurukshetra, Haryana, he said.

“Smoke filled the SLR bogie (Seating cum Luggage Rake), which is next to the engine. The train was brought to a halt and all the passengers were safely evacuated when smoke was noticed,” the official said. “The bogie caught fire later and fire tenders were called. Three women and two children, who complained of difficulty in breathing as they had inhaled smoke, were provided medical attention,” he added.

As per preliminary details, an electrical short circuit was believed to be the reason behind the fire, he said, adding that forensic experts had been called to ascertain the exact cause. The train which had started from Kalka in Haryana in the early morning was headed to Howrah. After the incident, the train was held up for more than two hours before the affected bogie was detached and placed about 50 to 60 metres away. Rail traffic on the route was also affected, he said.