A freight train's engine caught fire at Mirsharai, Chattogram, causing a temporary halt in train operations. The incident occurred on Thursday morning on the down line towards Chattogram and the up line towards Dhaka.
Fire service personnel successfully extinguished the blaze after an hour-long effort, with no reported casualties. Train services were disrupted for approximately three and a half hours on the down line and one hour on the up line.
The incident took place around 7:30 am in the Ambaria area under Bara Takia railway station. The closure of the Ambaria level crossing and suspension of traffic on the Mirsharai-Narayanghat road were necessary during the two and a half hours the train stood idle.
According to Train Guard Kutub Uddin, the fire started in the engine compartment while the train, carrying car parts and electric products from Akhaura to Chattogram, was in transit. Efforts to douse the flames initially failed due to non-functional fire extinguishers onboard.
Locomotive Master Shahjahan promptly halted the train upon noticing the fire and alerted authorities. The Bara Takia station master and fire service personnel arrived, bringing the situation under control. A relief train from Chattogram City arrived later to transport the affected train.
Mirsharai Fire Station Officer Imam Hossain Patowari acknowledged initial delays due to uncertainty about the fire's exact location but noted successful containment efforts with local support and firefighting equipment.
Bara Takia Railway Station Master Shamsudouha confirmed the temporary stoppage of train services, emphasising the swift response and subsequent restoration of normal operations after the fire incident.
