Firefighters trying to douse the fire which broke out in the engine of Shan-e-Punjab at the railway station in Ludhiana on Tuesday. HT Photo
The engine caught fire due to short-circuit of electrical wires. However, due to early detection of the
fault the situation came under control within 20 minutes of the incident.
The fire broke out inside the engine near 5.45 pm. The drivers stopped the train at the Ladhowal station and tried to douse the flames. Then the drivers took the train to the city railway station where employees replaced the engine to avert any major happening in the further journey.
The incident led to a delay of one hour in the scheduled arrival of the train to the New Delhi station.
Passengers waiting for the train said a major tragedy was averted as the engine caught fire on the outskirts of the station.
Station superintendent Ravinder Kumar Sharma, who was present on the spot, said, "The incident took place due to short-circuit in the electrical wires. It was a mechanical error. The incident was not affective and was managed by the employees on duty. No loss of life has been reported."