Patna, May 18 (IANS) Panic gripped passengers at a railway station in Rohtas district of Bihar on Monday morning after a sudden fire broke out in a general coach of the Sasaram–Patna Fast Passenger train (53212).

The incident occurred while the train was stationed at Platform Number 6 ahead of its scheduled departure at 6:45 A.M.

According to initial reports, the fire was triggered by a short circuit in the fifth coach from the engine.

The flames spread rapidly, engulfing the entire coach within minutes.

Fortunately, since the incident took place before departure, passengers had already disembarked from the affected coach, preventing any casualties.

Railway officials, along with personnel from the local fire department, rushed to the spot and launched a firefighting operation.

After considerable effort, the blaze was brought under control, and the damaged coach was later detached from the train.

An eyewitness, Rajesh Kumar, said the fire escalated quickly after smoke was first noticed.

He alleged that a delayed response from both Railway staff and the fire brigade contributed to the intensity of the blaze.

“The train was standing at the platform at the time when smoke suddenly started coming out of one coach. Within moments, it was engulfed in flames. Had the fire brigade and Railway staff reached earlier, the fire could have been controlled sooner,” he said.

Officials from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) stated that they received information about the fire around 6:00 A.M.

Firefighters subsequently managed to contain the blaze.

An RPF Inspector in Sasaram confirmed that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

“How a fire broke out in a train stationed at the platform is being probed. The burnt coach has been removed, and the train was dispatched to Patna after a delay of nearly two hours,” the officer said.

Another official, Inspector Sanjeev Kumar, reiterated that the fire was limited to a single coach and was extinguished in time, with no injuries reported among passengers or railway staff.

–IANS

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