Rajdhani Express fire in Kota: 68 passengers rescued from B-1 coach
Synopsis
Two AC coach fires on Indian Railways in three days—first Hyderabad-Jaipur Express at Nampally on 15 May, now the Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani near Kota on 18 May. All 68 passengers in the B-1 coach were evacuated in 15 minutes with no casualties, but the rapid recurrence raises pointed questions about fire safety standards across the AC fleet.
Key Takeaways
Fire broke out in the B-1 AC coach of the 12431 Rajdhani Express near Vikramgarh Alot, Kota at approximately 5:15 am on 18 May 2025 .
All 68 passengers in the affected coach were evacuated safely in around 15 minutes ; no injuries or casualties reported.
The RPF and onboard staff led the evacuation; the fire-hit coach was detached and the OHE supply switched off .
The Kota Division DRM confirmed all passengers safe in an official statement.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined; an investigation is underway.
A similar fire struck two AC coaches of the Hyderabad-Jaipur Special Express at Nampally Railway Station on 15 May 2025 .
A fire broke out in the B-1 air-conditioned coach of the 12431 Rajdhani Express near Vikramgarh Alot railway station in Kota, Rajasthan, at approximately 5:15 am on Sunday, 18 May 2025, triggering an emergency evacuation of all 68 passengers on board. Officials confirmed no casualties or injuries in the incident.
How the Evacuation Unfolded
Personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and onboard railway staff moved swiftly, clearing the affected coach in approximately 15 minutes. As a precautionary measure, passengers from adjacent coaches were also deboarded. Relief and rescue teams from the Kota Railway Division were dispatched to the site shortly after the alarm was raised.
The fire-hit coach was promptly detached from the rake, and the overhead electric supply (OHE) was switched off to eliminate any further risk. Passengers from the evacuated coach were subsequently accommodated in other coaches to continue their journey to Kota.
What Officials Said
“All passengers reported safe. No casualties reported,” the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of the Kota Division said in an official statement. Railway officials added that the cause of the fire has not yet been determined and an investigation is underway to establish the origin.
Emergency contact numbers for the Luni Richha–Vikramgarh Alot railway section have been released: Kota Enquiry: 6375898943 and At Site: 09256099269.
About the Train and Its Route
The 12431 Rajdhani Express had originated from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Friday and was scheduled to arrive at Delhi’s Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station at 12:30 pm. The fire disrupted the final leg of the journey, though railway officials worked to minimise delays for passengers.
A Pattern of Rail Fire Incidents
This incident follows closely on a similar event on 15 May 2025, when a fire broke out in two AC coaches of the Hyderabad-Jaipur Special Express at Nampally Railway Station. The back-to-back incidents have renewed scrutiny over fire safety protocols across Indian Railways’ air-conditioned coach fleet. Notably, AC coaches—with their enclosed electrical systems and insulation materials—have historically been a focal point in railway fire safety audits.
Investigators will now seek to determine whether the Kota fire originated from an electrical fault, bedding material, or another source—a determination that could have implications for maintenance checks across the network.
Point of View
Yet fire-safety audits of AC coaches, particularly their electrical wiring and insulation, remain inconsistently enforced. The swift evacuation at Kota is commendable, but the real accountability question is upstream: why are fires breaking out in the first place? Without a transparent investigation that names the technical cause and triggers a fleet-wide check, each ‘no casualties’ statement risks becoming a near-miss that precedes a tragedy.
NationPress
2 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the Rajdhani Express near Kota on 18 May 2025?
A fire broke out in the B-1 air-conditioned coach of the 12431 Rajdhani Express near Vikramgarh Alot railway station in Kota, Rajasthan, at around 5:15 am on 18 May 2025. All 68 passengers in the coach were evacuated safely within approximately 15 minutes, with no injuries or casualties reported.
Which train was involved and where was it headed?
The train involved was the 12431 Rajdhani Express, which had departed from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Friday and was bound for Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in New Delhi, with a scheduled arrival at 12:30 pm.
What caused the fire on the Rajdhani Express?
The cause of the fire has not been determined as of the time of reporting. Railway officials have launched an investigation to ascertain the origin of the blaze.
How did railway staff respond to the fire?
RPF personnel and onboard railway staff evacuated all 68 passengers from the B-1 coach in about 15 minutes. The affected coach was detached from the train, the overhead electric supply was switched off, and relief teams from the Kota Railway Division were dispatched to the site.
Has there been a similar fire incident on Indian Railways recently?
Yes. On 15 May 2025, a fire broke out in two AC coaches of the Hyderabad-Jaipur Special Express at Nampally Railway Station—just three days before the Kota incident, raising broader concerns about fire safety in Indian Railways’ AC coach fleet.
