A major accident occurred near Vijaypur railway station in Guna district of Madhya Pradesh on Friday night. A freight train carrying urea from the National Fertilizers Limited plant caught fire due to sparking in its engine. The fire was so intense that it melted and broke nine OHE line poles, leading to a complete shutdown of the Maksi-Ruthiyai rail section for over 11 hours.
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How did the incident happen and who was affected?
The incident took place around 9:05 PM on April 24, 2026. Loco pilots Jaipal Singh Meena and Mukesh Kumar Meena jumped from the engine to save their lives as the fire spread rapidly. The technical fault caused sparking in the diesel engine, which turned it into a fireball. Due to the damage to the overhead equipment (OHE) lines, train movements were halted across the section.
Which trains were delayed and how was the track restored?
The disruption lasted for approximately 11.30 hours, affecting five major passenger trains. Restoration teams from Guna and Byawara, along with the TRD team, worked throughout the night using tower wagons to repair the damaged poles. The rail traffic was fully restored by 8:20 AM on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
| Affected Train | Status |
|---|---|
| Jhansi-Bandra Express | Halted for several hours |
| Indore-Amritsar Express | Halted for several hours |
| Bhind-Ratlam Express | Halted for several hours |
| Ratlam-Bhind Intercity | Halted for several hours |
| Una-Himachal Express | Halted for several hours |
What did the railway officials say?
Pankaj Tyagi, the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Bhopal Rail Division, confirmed that a technical fault led to the sparking in the diesel engine. He stated that the railway teams worked overnight to ensure the tracks were cleared. A joint investigation team has been formed to probe the exact cause of the fire and decide on further action.