Ajmer: A major blaze engulfed the locomotive of the Mumbai-Delhi Garib Rath Express between the Abu Road and Ajmer stations in Rajasthan early on Saturday. Quick reaction by the loco pilot and his assistant prevented the fire from spreading to the passenger coaches of the train.
There was severe panic among passengers though, as many woke up to see the locomotive engulfed in flames. It could have been disastrous had the fire spread to the coaches, they realised. There were over 500 passengers on the train at that time.
The Mumbai-Delhi Garib Rath runs between Bandra in Mumbai and Sarai Rohilla in Delhi. According to train staff, smoke started billowing from the locomotive as it headed towards Ajmer.
The incident occurred near the Sendra railway station, near Beawar, around 3 am, disrupting train services on the busy Ajmer–Beawar route. The train was moving at a relatively slow speed while passing through Sendra, officials said and the fire could be controlled effectively.
“Alert passengers were the first to notice the smoke and immediately informed the train crew. In a swift response, the loco pilot brought the train to a halt, and the emergency evacuation procedure was initiated. All passengers were safely deboarded and no injuries were reported,” an official said.
Visuals from the site showed a half-charred locomotive, with firefighters and railway officials engaged in cooling operations. Emergency teams from Ajmer, including engineers and railway security personnel, rushed to the site to assess the damage and manage the situation.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the fire may have been caused by a technical fault or an electrical short circuit in the locomotive. Efforts are underway to clear the track and restore normal services. Stranded passengers were accommodated on other trains.