Fire Breaks Out in Decommissioned Coach at Lahore Railway Station, No Casualties Reported

A fire broke out in an empty, decommissioned economy-class coach at Lahore Railway Station on Tuesday, sending thick black smoke across the platform area and prompting a swift emergency response, officials said. No deaths or injuries were reported, and Railway Police detained a suspect at the scene as investigators began working to determine the cause.

Initial reports suggested the burning carriages were at Platform 6A, but officials later clarified that the fire was confined to a single out-of-service coach on Platform 7. Flames were seen shooting through the carriage windows, and the incident caused panic and a stampede-like situation among railway staff and passengers nearby.

Authorities moved people away from Platforms 6A and 7 and declared an emergency across the station, while the Train Control Office opposite the affected platform was placed on temporary alert. Railway employees first attempted to extinguish the flames with equipment available at the station, but those efforts failed to contain the fire, prompting officials to call in Rescue 1122 and municipal fire brigade teams.

In a precautionary move, railway workers used an engine to pull other carriages away from Platforms 6A and 7A to prevent the blaze from spreading to nearby vehicles. Officials noted that inspection cars and power equipment had been parked in those areas until a few days before the incident.

A railway spokesperson said firefighters brought the fire under control within 40 minutes and extinguished it by 1:20pm. Authorities were registering a formal case at Lahore Railway Police Station, and investigators were working to establish what caused the fire.

Railway officials said the incident did not disrupt train operations, and all services continued according to their normal schedules.