Kolalm: A fire broke out on the Kollam–Chennai Egmore Express train on Tuesday afternoon at Punalur railway station in Kerala, during the coupling of a diesel engine.

The incident occurred around 1pm as railway staff were attaching an engine to the rear of the train to help it safely traverse the ghat section of the route.

The source of the fire was the diesel engine being connected to the train arriving from Kollam. As flames and smoke were noticed, railway staff on duty acted immediately. Using onboard fire extinguishers, they managed to bring the situation under control swiftly, preventing any injuries or escalation.

The affected engine was removed and a replacement engine was attached to the train. As a result, train services resumed after a brief delay.

The Indian Railways has procedures for rear engine attachments in such terrain, and the incident highlights the importance of emergency readiness by railway personnel. Authorities have not reported any casualties or property damage beyond the affected engine.

An official investigation into the cause of the fire is expected to follow.