Gaya Ji: A major tragedy was averted on Sunday night when a fire broke out in the sleeper coach of the Kolkata-Jammu Tawi Express on the Gaya-Koderma railway line. The incident occurred between Tankuppa and Paharpur stations due to brake binding, which caused friction and led to the blaze.
The train had been halted at Tankuppa station at 8:09 p.m. to allow the Vande Bharat Express to pass. During the stop, smoke was spotted billowing from beneath sleeper coach S-1. Station Manager Lal Bahadur Paswan responded swiftly, deploying fire extinguishing equipment with assistance from the Railway Protection Force (RPF).
All passengers were safely evacuated from the coach, which was then detached and sent empty to Gaya as a precautionary measure. After a thorough safety inspection, the remaining coaches resumed the journey. No injuries or casualties were reported.
Tankuppa Station Master Rahul Ranjan praised the quick response, stating it was instrumental in preventing a potential disaster. “Had this happened while the train was in motion, the consequences could have been far more serious,” said a railway staffer on condition of anonymity.
Railway authorities have ordered a detailed investigation into the incident.
