MURSHIDABAD (West Bengal): The engine of Kolkata-Radhikapur Express derailed and caught fire after it collided with a truck laden with sand in the early hours of Monday between Dhulianganga and Ballalpur in West Bengal’s Murshidabad district.
The incident took place at 1.24 am today and the engine of the 13145 Kolkata-Radhikapur Express that caught fire was detached and the blaze was extinguished immediately by the fire brigade, railway sources said. No casualties were reported in the incident and the train was left stranded at Ballalpur village in Farakka after the incident.
According to railway sources, “Kolkata Radhikapur Express train left Kolkata on Sunday evening and headed for Radhikapur. At around 1.25 am on Monday morning, the driver of the train suddenly applied brakes as soon as a truck loaded with sand came in front of the train on the railway line under the Ballalpur bridge of Farakka. The sand-loaded truck got hit by the train and the engine derailed and caught fire. There is no news of any casualty”.
Officials of the Railway Department, Railway Police and Farakka Police Station Inspector-in-charge Debabrata Chakraborty and a large number of police forces reached the spot. Two fire tenders were deployed and the fire was exinguished. A special train was arranged to transport the stranded passengers to Radhikapur, according to a railway official.
Following the incident, a few trains were cancelled and a few others were diverted and terminated. The 03091 UP Azimganj Junction-Sahibganj Express Special was cancelled, the 02501 Kolkata-Agartala Special Fare AC Special was diverted via Azimganj-Nalhati-Rampurhat-Gumani was diverted. The 13033 Howrah-Katihar Express was diverted via Azimganj-Nalhati-Rampurhat-Gumani. The 13163 Sealdah-Saharsha Junction Hate Bazare Express was sent back to Jangipur Road Station and railway officials said the train will be diverted via Azimganj-Nalhati-Rampurhat-Gumani afterwards.
The 13145 Kolkata Radhikapur Express was sent back to Jangipur Road Station and officials said the train will be diverted via Azimganj-Nalhati-Rampurhat-Gumani afterwards. (ANI)