Massive fire breaks out in 4 coaches of Karmabhoomi Express in Punjab; passengers jump from train to save lives

A major accident occurred in Punjab's Patiala district on Friday, November 6, 2026, where a massive fire broke out in four coaches of train number 12508 Karmabhoomi Express, travelling from Amritsar to New Jalpaiguri. The incident took place near Sarai Banjara village in Patiala. The fire broke out as the train reached Rajpura, causing widespread panic and chaos among the passengers. As clouds of smoke and flames erupted from the coaches, passengers began screaming and fled towards the fields, alighting from the moving train to save their lives. Some passengers even jumped directly from the train to escape the blaze.

According to a report by Amar Ujala, train number 12508 Karmabhoomi Express had departed from Sadhugarh railway station in Fatehgarh Sahib district at 12:58 pm on Friday. Shortly thereafter, a fire broke out in the general coaches near Rajpura. Reports indicate that the fire started in coach number 265287GS, the fifth coach from the engine, and smoke and flames quickly spread to adjacent coaches. As per Dainik Bhaskar, the fire originated in a general coach attached to the engine, and a total of 4 general coaches were engulfed. Passengers attempted to exit the coaches regardless of their luggage as the interiors filled with smoke.

The incident occurred between Sadhugarh railway station in Fatehgarh Sahib and Sarai Banjara railway station in Patiala. According to Dainik Bhaskar, the accident took place around 1:10 pm. Upon receiving information, the railway administration, fire department, and relief teams were immediately alerted. Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, CPRO of Northern Railway, stated that the train was brought to a safe halt after the safety system was activated near Sarai Banjara station. The incident impacted the railway network, leading the administration to divert the routes of 8 trains.

In a conversation with Aaj Tak, Patiala DC Himanshu Agarwal revealed that the fire started from the pantry and subsequently spread to other coaches. DC Himanshu further stated, "Information was received that fire had broken out in some coaches of the train. After the fire alarm sounded, everyone became alert and exited the train, resulting in no loss of life." According to a News18 report, the train was halted in the Sarai Banjara area between Sirhind and Rajpura, and all passengers were safely evacuated.

In an immediate response to the accident, the railways dispatched a medical relief train from Ambala at 1:20 pm. According to Amar Ujala, this train was equipped with Accident Relief Medical Equipment (ARME) to provide immediate medical assistance to any injured passengers. Police, the fire department, and railway personnel reached the spot to extinguish the fire and rescue passengers.

While the exact cause of the fire is not yet clear, Dainik Bhaskar reports that a short circuit is primarily suspected. Meanwhile, reports from Aaj Tak and Amar Ujala state that the railways have ordered a high-level probe into the incident. Railway officials stated that all possible angles will be investigated to determine the actual cause of the fire. Currently, there are no reports of any passengers being injured, and all passengers are reported to be safe.

Due to the festive season, the trains were heavily crowded, which heightened the anxiety and terror among passengers during the incident. Some harrowing videos from the scene have emerged, showing plumes of smoke visible from a distance and terrified passengers standing outside the train. According to a report by Sandesh (Desh), the massive fire in the Karmabhoomi Express at Rajpura created an atmosphere of extreme chaos among the passengers.

Karmabhoomi Express is a significant train operating between Amritsar and New Jalpaiguri in West Bengal, utilized by a large number of passengers.