Two Tezgam Express bogeys were gutted at the Noraywali railway crossing near Rahim Yar Khan on Sunday night. Two people received minor injurious.
Rescue officials said the fire in bogey 9 and 10 of the Karachi-bound train from Rawalpindi started shortly after the train left the Noraywali railway crossing.
Rescue 1122 ambulances and fire fighters were called. It took them three hours to put it out.
Two passengers were injured and given first aid on the spot. The rest of the bogeys were evacuated. Traffic was suspended on both sides of the crossing.
The railway divisional commissioner officer visited the scene and inquired after the passengers.
Talking to the media on the spot, he said that passengers whose valuables had been completely burned would be compensated.
Talking to The Tribune about what had triggered the fire, the divisional mechanical engineer said that an electric short circuit had started the fire in one of the bogeys.
It later spread to the next bogey. He, however, said that the incident would be investigated and those found guilty of negligence would be punished.
He said the railway authorities had detached the affected coaches from the train and allowed the rest to move to its destination after several hours.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 24th, 2013.