Begusarai, 19 April 2025: A fire broke out in the engine of a DMU train travelling from Tilrath to Jamalpur in Bihar’s Begusarai district on Saturday. The quick alertness of the loco pilot averted a major accident in the incident which took place between Dhanauli and Phulwaria. As smoke and flames rose from the engine, the pilot applied emergency brakes and stopped the train and informed the next station. “The pilot’s presence of mind saved many lives,” said local railway official Ajay Kumar.

Passengers began jumping off the train in panic, with many rushing to the nearby track where the Intercity Express coming from Khagaria was speeding towards it. Fortunately, the loco pilot of the other train applied brakes in time and stopped the train, averting a collision. “Incidents like train engine fires highlight technical flaws that need to be fixed immediately,” said railway safety expert Ramesh Sharma. The fire brigade controlled the fire in half an hour, but there was chaos for two hours.
The railways sent a second engine to send the train and have started investigating the incident. The increasing incidents of train accidents in Bihar in recent months are raising questions on railway safety. This incident underlines the importance of vigilance of loco pilots, who form the strong basis for the safety of passengers in times of crisis.