Thu Jan 23 07:19:16 UTC 2025: ## 13 Killed in Maharashtra Train Tragedy After False Fire Alarm

**Jalgaon, Maharashtra, January 23, 2025** – At least 13 people died and 15 were injured in a tragic train accident near Pachora, Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, on Wednesday evening. Passengers on the Lucknow-Mumbai Pushpak Express jumped from the train after a false alarm about a fire, only to be struck by the Karnataka Express on an adjacent track.

The victims, nine men and four women, were run over by the oncoming Karnataka Express. Four of the deceased have been identified as Nepalese citizens, including a minor boy and two women. Authorities are working to identify the remaining victims. The injured, three in critical condition, are receiving treatment at local hospitals.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking from Davos, expressed his condolences and announced a financial assistance of ₹5 lakh to the families of each victim. The Railway Board also announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹1.5 lakh to the kin of the deceased, along with compensation for those injured.

Railway officials stated that a curve in the tracks, nearly two degrees, hampered visibility, hindering the Karnataka Express driver’s ability to stop in time despite seeing the flashlights and applying brakes. Despite the train driver’s quick actions, the tragedy unfolded due to the reduced braking distance caused by the track curvature.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also offered his condolences and called for a probe into how the false fire alarm spread, leading to the panicked exodus from the train. The investigation will likely examine the sequence of events that started with the alarm chain pulling on the Pushpak Express, resulting in passengers jumping from the train onto the adjacent tracks. Post-mortems are being conducted, and the bodies will be handed over to families after legal procedures are complete.

Read More