Thirteen passengers died, and ten others were injured when they fled a Mumbai-bound train after rumors of a fire spread through the coaches, only to be struck by another train on an adjacent track in Maharashtra state, India, on January 22, 2025.
The incident occurred near the Pardhade railroad station, approximately 255 miles southwest of Mumbai when passengers aboard the Pushpak Express panicked after two individuals spread a rumor about a fire after hearing a tea seller shouting. Some passengers pulled the emergency chain, bringing the train to an abrupt stop, while others jumped from the moving train. The passengers who disembarked were then struck by the Karnataka Express traveling on the parallel track.
Railway officials reported that sparks inside one of the coaches, caused by either a “hot axle” or “brake-binding,” may have contributed to the panic. Seven of the deceased were from Nepal, and four were from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The two passengers who allegedly started the rumor were among the injured and received treatment at government expense, as directed by state authorities.
The incident occurred during peak evening travel hours, around 5 p.m. local time when both trains were operating at full capacity. The Pushpak Express, carrying approximately 1,200 passengers, was traveling at its standard speed of 55 mph when the emergency chain was pulled. The Karnataka Express, which struck the disembarked passengers, was moving at approximately 60 mph at the time of impact.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis posted on X that he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives” near Pachora in Jalgaon district, about 400 kilometers from Mumbai. Eight ambulances were dispatched to the scene, and area hospitals were placed on standby. The state government has committed to covering medical expenses for all injured passengers, including long-term rehabilitation costs.
The railway administration has ordered an immediate safety review of all the route’s emergency protocols and passenger communication systems. This includes inspection of emergency chains, door locking mechanisms, and onboard fire detection systems in all coaches operating on the Mumbai-bound route. The investigation team comprises senior railway safety officials and independent technical experts.
India’s railway network, which carries approximately 23 million passengers daily across 64,000 kilometers (40,000 miles) of track, has recently launched a $30 billion modernization program. The world’s largest system, under single management, employs 1.3 million people and operates 13,000 passenger trains daily.
The railway system has experienced several serious accidents in recent years. A significant three-train crash in the state of Odisha in June 2023 resulted in nearly 300 fatalities and injured more than 1,000 people. That incident led to a comprehensive review of the railway’s signaling systems and prompted the installation of new safety technologies across major routes.
The Pushpak Express operates on one of India’s busiest rail corridors, connecting major urban centers through Maharashtra. The section where the accident occurred handles over 160 trains daily, including passenger and freight services. In response to the incident, railway authorities have implemented immediate safety measures, including enhanced communication systems between train staff and passengers and mandatory safety briefings before each journey.
