SAHARSA, BIHAR — A major rail disaster was narrowly averted in the early hours of Monday after a fire broke out on the Samastipur–Saharsa passenger train at Simri Bakhtiyarpur railway station in Bihar's Saharsa district. Although the blaze quickly engulfed three passenger coaches, all on-board passengers managed to evacuate safely, preventing any loss of life or injuries.
According to railway officials, the incident occurred at approximately 3:25 AM on Platform No. 2 of the station. Preliminary reports indicate that the fire originated near the locomotive engine before rapidly spreading to adjacent coaches, filling the train with dense smoke and towering flames.
The sudden outbreak caused panic among passengers, leading to a stampede-like situation inside the compartments as people scrambled to escape into the dark station premises.
Passengers Describe Narrow Escape
Passengers aboard the train recounted moments of intense fear before realizing the danger. Mohammad Yusuf, a resident of Supaul travelling on the train, recalled feeling an abnormal surge of heat coming from under the floorboards.
"The first thing we felt was intense heat coming from underneath the coach. When I got down to look, I saw flames rising from below," Yusuf said. "We immediately shouted and alerted fellow passengers, which enabled everyone to get out onto the platform safely."
Another passenger, Sonu Kumar, who boarded at Mansi station en route to Simri Bakhtiyarpur, noted that the fire started small near the engine shortly after the train ground to a halt at the platform, but expanded within minutes.
Emergency Response and Service Disruptions
Station authorities were alerted immediately after the flames were spotted. Local fire tenders rushed to the scene alongside railway officials and local administration personnel, initiating a full-scale firefighting operation that eventually brought the blaze under control.
While no human casualties were recorded, the incident caused significant structural damage to three coaches and led to notable disruptions along the railway network.
Simri Bakhtiyarpur Station Superintendent Sanjay Kumar Sajjan confirmed that several key passenger and express trains faced delays due to the emergency response operation. Affected services included the Kosi Express (Saharsa–Patna), Janki Express (Manihari–Jaynagar), the Saharsa–Samastipur passenger line, and the Shravani Special (Saharsa–Deoghar).
Investigation Underway
Railway authorities have initiated a high-level technical inquiry to determine the exact cause of the blaze.
"As per preliminary investigation, an electrical short circuit near the engine is suspected to have triggered the fire," Station Superintendent Sajjan stated. "Railway and local administration teams monitored relief efforts closely. A formal inquiry has been launched, and a complete assessment of the structural damage to the three coaches will be carried out."
Normal train movement through Platform No. 2 is expected to resume following safety clearances from technical inspection teams.
