The locomotive of Chattogram-bound intercity train Udayan Express caught fire in South Surma upazila of Sylhet on Wednesday night, creating panic among passengers.
The train left Sylhet Railway Station at around 10:00pm. Shortly after reaching the Shibbari Parairchok area in South Surma, smoke and sparks of fire were seen coming out of the engine.
Sensing danger, the loco masters immediately stopped the train.
The incident triggered panic among passengers, and some attempted to jump off the train. However, many passengers safely got down after the train came to a stop.
Local residents said smoke suddenly started coming out of the engine before flames appeared, prompting passengers to rush to safety.
Sylhet Railway Station Manager Md Nurul Islam said local people first rushed to the spot and tried to control the fire before members of the Fire Service arrived and extinguished the flames.
Fire Service Warehouse Inspector Tito Shikder said some pieces of cloth had mistakenly been placed near the engine’s silencer for drying. Due to heat generated from the running engine, the cloth caught fire.
He said three units of the Fire Service worked together to bring the blaze under control.
After inspection, the train resumed its journey towards Chattogram.
Railway authorities said the engine did not suffer any major damage in the incident.
