Karmabhoomi Express fire near Rajpura: four coaches burn, passengers escape unhurt
By Siddharth VermaBusiness Correspondent, Peepals Bharat
Representative image: AdiPhotography / Pixabay
Fire broke out in four general coaches of the Amritsar-bound Karmabhoomi Express near Rajpura, Punjab, on November 6; no casualties were reported and an inquiry was ordered.
What Happened
A fire broke out in four general coaches of the Amritsar-bound Karmabhoomi Express (train No. 12508) near Rajpura in Punjab's Patiala district on Friday, 6 November 2026, shortly after the train left Sadhugarh station in Fatehgarh Sahib district at 12.58 pm. Railway officials and reports said no casualties were reported. The burning coaches were separated from the rest of the train, passengers were moved to a replacement train, and the railways ordered an inquiry into the cause.
Key Facts
- Train: Karmabhoomi Express, No. 12508, running towards Amritsar.
- Place: near Sarai Banjara station, close to Rajpura, which Northern Railway's public relations officer said falls in the Ambala division.
- Coaches hit: four general (unreserved) coaches.
- Passengers: one report put the number on board who escaped unhurt at about 1,500; officials said no casualties had been reported.
- Response: railway staff, police and fire brigade teams reached the spot; the affected coaches were detached so the fire would not spread, and overhead power lines on both tracks were switched off.
- Passengers were walked about 500 metres to a station and put on a replacement train.
- Cause: not officially confirmed; reports said a short circuit was suspected and an inquiry has been ordered.
Why It Matters
The fire came in the busiest week of the year for Indian Railways. With Diwali this weekend and Chhath Puja next week, long-distance trains between Punjab, Delhi and the eastern states are packed, and general coaches, where passengers do not have reserved seats, are often crowded well beyond their seating. A fire in four such coaches at this time could have been far worse.
Early accounts differed on some details, as they often do in the first hours of an incident. Some local reports and social media posts claimed several passengers were hurt, while official statements and most reports said no casualties had been reported. Reports also differed on which coach caught fire first and on the exact spot of the incident. Until the inquiry reports, the cause remains unknown; a suspected short circuit is not a finding.
For travellers, the episode shows how quickly a fire can spread through crowded general coaches, and why the evacuation steps used here, stopping the train, detaching the burning coaches and cutting overhead power, matter. Whether anything carried by passengers played a part is a question only the inquiry can answer.
Peepals timeline: The train left Sadhugarh station at 12.58 pm on Friday, 6 November. Within minutes, smoke and flames were seen in the general coaches near Sarai Banjara, close to Rajpura. The train's safety system brought it to a stop, and passengers left the coaches. Staff detached the burning coaches and switched off the overhead lines on both tracks, while police and fire teams worked on the fire. Passengers were then led about 500 metres on foot to a station and moved to a replacement train, and the railways ordered an inquiry the same day.
Impact
Short-term: Rail traffic on the section was held up while both overhead lines were switched off and the tracks were cleared. Passengers on the train had their journey disrupted and had to continue on a replacement train.
Long-term: The inquiry's findings will show whether the fire started from the train's electrical equipment or from something passengers carried, and may lead to tighter checks on general coaches in peak season.
Who is affected: The passengers of train 12508, festival travellers on the Punjab corridor this week, and railway staff in the Ambala division.
What to watch next: The findings of the railways' inquiry into the cause of the fire.
Key Takeaway
Four coaches of the Karmabhoomi Express burned near Rajpura on November 6, but passengers got out and no casualties were reported; the cause is under inquiry.
Questions and Answers
What happened to the Karmabhoomi Express?
On Friday, 6 November 2026, a fire broke out in four general coaches of the Amritsar-bound Karmabhoomi Express (No. 12508) near Rajpura in Punjab, shortly after it left Sadhugarh station.
Was anyone hurt in the Karmabhoomi Express fire?
Railway officials and most reports said no casualties were reported. Some social media posts claimed injuries, but these were not confirmed by officials.
What caused the fire?
The cause has not been confirmed. A short circuit was suspected, according to reports, and the railways have ordered an inquiry.
What happened to the passengers?
The burning coaches were detached, passengers were led about 500 metres to a station, and they continued their journey on a replacement train.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
By Siddharth Verma, Business CorrespondentCovers Business and more for Peepals Bharat. All stories by Siddharth Verma
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Siddharth Verma is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration.
