Incident Overview
A minor fire broke out in the engine of the Palace Queen Humsafar Express on Thursday morning due to suspected technical issues. This incident occurred while the train was en route from Mysuru to Udaipur, passing through the Bengaluru South district. Smoke was observed coming from the engine of the Mysuru-Udaipur Humsafar Express (train number 19668) near Channapatna station in Ramnagar district, causing significant disruption to rail services. The event took place shortly after the train passed Channapatna at around 11:20 AM. Noticing smoke from the engine at approximately 11:24 AM, the train halted near kilometer marker 52/400 (before LRRM station). In response, the locomotive pilot promptly requested a replacement engine.
Emergency Response
According to railway officials, the fire was detected at 11:45 AM while the train was crossing Channapatna. The locomotive pilot spotted sparks coming from the engine and immediately stopped the train. He quickly informed the control room and activated emergency protocols. Fire and emergency service personnel arrived promptly and, with the assistance of railway staff, managed to extinguish the fire before it escalated. Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries or casualties among passengers or crew members.
Train Resumption
A senior railway official stated, "The locomotive pilot acted swiftly and effectively, ensuring the safety of all on board. The fire was contained in a timely manner. An alternative engine was arranged and coupled to the train, allowing it to resume its journey after a brief delay." Following a technical inspection and reconfiguration of the engine, the Humsafar Express departed from CPT at 2:15 PM, resulting in approximately an hour's delay. However, the disruptions did not end there. The train was halted again for 15 minutes near the Bengaluru City (SBC) home signal and finally arrived at SBC at 3:35 PM. An additional 31 minutes were required to switch to a new engine (loco number 40455/WDP4D/KJM) for the journey to Udaipur.
Impact on Other Services
Other train services were also affected due to the breakdown. Train number 12975 was delayed for 56 minutes at SET station, while train number 12613 faced a 22-minute delay at MAD station. Railway officials have initiated an investigation into the incident. Although no injuries were reported, passengers experienced considerable inconvenience due to the ongoing delays.
Visual Evidence
