The Mumbai-Howrah Mail remained halted for around 15 minutes near Bandamunda station in Odisha early Saturday after a passenger’s power bank exploded while charging in an AC coach. The blast triggered a fire alarm and filled the coach with smoke, causing panic among passengers.
However, railway personnel soon brought the situation under control. No injuries were reported.The incident occurred around 3.38 am when train number 12809, the down Mumbai-Howrah Mail, stopped near the electric shed at Bandamunda on the down line.
The train resumed its journey at 3.53 am.According to information available, the power bank exploded while charging at berth number six in coach B-3, the 14th coach from the engine. The explosion triggered a fire and smoke spread through the coach, activating the fire alarm system.
A subsequent check found no evidence of chain pulling.Railway personnel responded swiftly to the incident and ensured the situation was brought under control. The passenger whose power bank exploded was provided another berth by the travelling ticket inspector (TTI), along with the necessary assistance, and continued the journey.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Chakradharpur railway division, Aditya Chaudhary, confirmed the incident and said charging points on trains would now be switched off at night as a precautionary measure to protect passengers.He said the passenger had left the power bank charging overnight and fallen asleep, leading to the explosion. The officials further confirmed that no one was injured in the incident and praised the response by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and commercial staff, who handled the situation carefully and helped the affected passenger continue the journey.- Ends