Patna, May 18 (IANS) A massive fire broke out in one of the coaches of a passenger train bound for Patna. No injuries have been reported, officials said on Monday.

The incident occurred on the Sasaram-Patna fast passenger train near the Bihar’s Sasaram railway station at around 6 a.m. According to the preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by a suspected short circuit, officials said.

The coach caught fire while it was at the Sasaram railway station shortly before it was scheduled to depart, officials said.

The railway officials said that the blaze caused panic among the passengers on the platform, though no casualties were reported.

Visuals from the incident show thick smoke emerging from the train coach.

Upon receiving the information, the Railway Police administration arrived at the scene and, with the assistance of the fire brigade team, brought the fire under control.

However, due to the severity of the fire, one coach of the Sasaram-Patna Passenger train was destroyed.

Meanwhile, procedures are currently underway to detach the damaged coach, adjust the schedule, and dispatch the train following a thorough inspection.

This incident comes a day after a fire broke out in two rear coaches of the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express near Rajasthan’s Kota on Sunday. No injuries were reported in this incident.

Railway officials said all passengers from the affected coach were immediately deboarded safely. According to railway authorities, the Overhead Equipment (OHE) power supply was immediately shut down after the fire was detected to prevent further danger, and the affected coach was removed.

The officials further stated that the built-in safety systems of the coach functioned promptly, leading to the automatic halt of the train soon after the incident occurred.

Following the fire, railway authorities also launched a nationwide audit of fire-related systems installed in coaches and associated railway infrastructure to assess safety preparedness and prevent similar incidents in the future.

–IANS

sd/