In a tragic incident in Jalgaon's Pachora area, 11 passengers lost their lives on Wednesday( Jan 22) evening after a fire scare on the Pushpak Express led to chaos. The victims were struck by the Karnataka Express while jumping onto the tracks to escape what they believed was a fire on board, according to media reports.
Fire rumour sparks panic
The incident occurred near Pachora station when the Pushpak Express came to an emergency halt around 5 pm. Reports suggest that sparks were noticed during the train’s braking, which led passengers to fear a fire. A rumour quickly spread, prompting several passengers to jump from their coaches onto the adjacent tracks.
Collision with Karnataka Express
As the passengers attempted to flee, they were hit by the Karnataka Express, which was approaching on the parallel track at the time. The impact resulted in 11 deaths.
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Officials revealed that someone on the Pushpak Express pulled the emergency chain after rumours of a fire began circulating. This sudden stop added to the panic, resulting in the tragic sequence of events.
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis conveyed his sympathies and confirmed that he was in touch with the district administration to monitor rescue efforts.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis tweets, "The unfortunate incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district in which some people lost their lives is very painful. I pay my heartfelt tributes to them. My colleague Minister Girish Mahajan and the Superintendent of Police have reached the… pic.twitter.com/K76ma1Pa55
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2025
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed condolences to the bereaved families and directed authorities to ensure proper medical care for the injured.
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath expresses grief over the Pushpak train accident. He has ordered adequate medical treatment for the injured, also condoled the demise of passengers: Uttar Pradesh CMO
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2025
(File photo) https://t.co/TZTt28eWpl pic.twitter.com/Zx2adqo3uV
(With inputs from agencies)