Fire scare on Sealdah-Hasnabad local train

Kolkata: Panic broke out among passengers of the Sealdah-Hasnabad Local train on Monday morning after flames were seen coming from a cable between two coaches.

The incident took place near Sandalia station on the Sealdah-Hasnabad section, causing fear among commuters.

The train, which had departed Sealdah at 6:40 am, was en route to Hasnabad when passengers first noticed smoke billowing from between two coaches after leaving Beliaghata station. The smoke was followed by visible flames.

Passengers immediately sounded the alarm and the driver brought the train to a halt at Sandalia station, where panicked passengers exited the train. Railway officials were promptly notified and arrived at the scene to assess the situation. Initial investigations revealed that the fire originated from friction between the brakes and the wheels.

After a thorough safety inspection, the train was cleared to resume its journey to Hasnabad. However, many passengers opted not to continue their journey due to the fright. The incident resulted in delays on the Sealdah-Hasnabad section, with the train remaining at Sandalia station for over 30 minutes before resuming its journey. However, Railway authorities claimed that the train departed within 10-15 minutes.