A fire broke out early Saturday morning in a coach of the Amritsar–Saharsa Garib Rath Express (Train No. 12204) near Sirhind railway station in Punjab, sparking panic among passengers. The incident occurred around 7:30 AM, when smoke was seen billowing from coach number 19 of the train, officials said.
According to Indian Railways, the fire was likely caused by a short circuit. Railway staff and local firefighters responded swiftly, preventing the blaze from spreading further. Passengers were immediately evacuated and shifted to other coaches as a precautionary measure.
“The fire has been brought under control, and there are no casualties,” a railway spokesperson confirmed, adding that only a few passengers suffered minor injuries while exiting the coach during the evacuation.
Fire tenders were promptly deployed to the scene, and the flames were extinguished within a short time. The affected coach remains on the track, which has been temporarily closed for movement until it is cleared.
Railway authorities said the damaged coach will be moved in a few hours, after which normal train operations will resume. Meanwhile, passengers from the affected coach are being accommodated in another train to continue their journey toward Saharsa.