Train fire at Sasaram station: Bihar coach gutted, no casualties
Synopsis
A coach of the Sasaram–Patna Fast Passenger train was gutted by fire at Sasaram station on Monday morning, with the blaze reportedly starting from a short circuit. The narrow escape — passengers had already stepped off before flames spread — masks a sharper question: why did it take responders until after the coach was fully engulfed to act?
Key Takeaways
A fire broke out in a general coach of the Sasaram–Patna Fast Passenger train (53212) at Sasaram station, Bihar , on 18 May .
The blaze is believed to have originated from a short circuit in the fifth coach from the engine.
No casualties were reported; passengers had disembarked before the fire spread.
Eyewitness Rajesh Kumar alleged a delayed response by railway staff and the fire brigade worsened the blaze.
The RPF received the fire alert around 6:00 am ; the burnt coach was detached and the train departed for Patna after a two-hour delay .
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to the RPF Inspector at Sasaram.
A fire broke out in a general coach of the Sasaram–Patna Fast Passenger train (53212) at Sasaram railway station in Rohtas district, Bihar, on Monday, 18 May, triggering panic among passengers gathered on the platform ahead of the train's scheduled 6:45 am departure. No casualties were reported, as passengers had already disembarked from the affected coach before the blaze took hold.
How the Fire Started
According to initial reports, a short circuit in the fifth coach from the engine is believed to have ignited the blaze. The flames spread rapidly, engulfing the entire coach within minutes. Railway officials and personnel from the local fire department rushed to Platform Number 6 and launched a firefighting operation, eventually bringing the blaze under control after considerable effort. The damaged coach was subsequently detached from the train.
Eyewitness Account
An eyewitness, Rajesh Kumar, said smoke was first noticed before the fire escalated sharply. 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.
What Officials Said
Officials from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) stated they received information about the fire around 6:00 am. An RPF Inspector in Sasaram confirmed that the cause of the fire remains 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.
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.
Broader Context
Coach fires triggered by electrical short circuits remain a recurring concern on India's vast rail network. This incident comes amid ongoing scrutiny of fire-safety protocols at railway stations, particularly for older rolling stock deployed on passenger routes. The RPF's confirmation that the cause is still under probe means official findings on the short-circuit origin are yet to be verified independently.
The train eventually departed for Patna after a delay of approximately two hours, with the gutted coach removed from the consist.
Point of View
Not preparedness. The eyewitness account of a delayed response — if corroborated — points to a systemic gap in station-level fire-response protocols that Indian Railways has been slow to close. Short-circuit fires in older coaches are not rare events; they are a known, recurring failure mode. The real question the RPF probe must answer is not just how the fire started, but why a stationed train at a staffed platform was allowed to burn long enough to destroy an entire coach.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at Sasaram railway station on 18 May?
A fire broke out in a general coach of the Sasaram–Patna Fast Passenger train (53212) while it was stationed at Platform Number 6 ahead of its 6:45 am departure. The blaze gutted one coach but caused no casualties.
What caused the train fire at Sasaram?
Initial reports indicate a short circuit in the fifth coach from the engine triggered the fire. The Railway Protection Force has confirmed that the exact cause remains under investigation.
Were any passengers injured in the Sasaram train fire?
No injuries or casualties were reported. Passengers had already disembarked from the affected coach before the fire spread, which officials credited with preventing any harm.
How long was the train delayed due to the fire?
The Sasaram–Patna Fast Passenger train was delayed by nearly two hours. The burnt coach was detached before the train was dispatched to Patna.
What did eyewitnesses say about the response to the fire?
Eyewitness Rajesh Kumar alleged that a delayed response from railway staff and the fire brigade allowed the blaze to intensify. He said that faster intervention could have limited the damage to the coach.
