Railway Board sets up high-level probe panel into Rajdhani Express fire incident

The Railway Board has constituted a high-level administrative inquiry committee to investigate the fire that broke out in the Thiruvananthapuram Central–Hazrat Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express on Sunday.

According to officials, the fire erupted at around 5:15 am in the B-1 coach of the train between Vikramgarh Alot and Lunirichha stations under the Kota Railway Division. The incident occurred nearly one-and-a-half hours after the train departed from Ratlam Junction in Madhya Pradesh. The blaze also damaged the luggage brake and generator car attached to the coach.

The West Central Railway Zone confirmed that the inquiry committee has been formed under the direction of the General Manager of the zone. It includes senior officials from the West Central Railway, Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, and the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO).

The Principal Chief Safety Officer of the West Central Railway has been appointed as the convener of the committee. Other members include senior officials from electrical, mechanical and security departments, along with representatives from the Integral Coach Factory.

The committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire, technical failures, and safety lapses, if any. It will also recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

As per the Railway Accident Manual, the panel has been instructed to submit its report within the stipulated timeframe.

The Railways reiterated that passenger safety remains a top priority and assured that all necessary steps are being taken to strengthen safety standards across the network.