Thu Jan 23 06:52:20 UTC 2025: ## 12 Dead After Passengers Jump From Train in India, Hit by Another
**Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India** – At least 12 passengers were killed and six injured in western India Wednesday after a panicked escape from a train resulted in a tragic collision. Passengers aboard the Pushpak Express pulled the emergency chain, believing a fire had broken out due to sparks from a potential mechanical issue (either a hot axle or brake failure). Upon stopping, a number of passengers jumped onto the tracks, only to be struck by the passing Karnataka Express on an adjacent track.
The incident occurred near Pardhade railroad station in Jalgaon, approximately 410 kilometers northeast of Mumbai. Railway officials confirmed the preliminary cause of the initial alarm was likely sparks from within a carriage. Despite efforts to improve rail safety, accidents remain a persistent issue on India’s vast railway network, the world’s largest under single management. This incident comes less than a year after a deadly train collision in eastern India claimed over 280 lives. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing modernization efforts for the colonial-era railway system are aimed at improving safety and handling the increasing demands of India’s 1.42 billion citizens.
First Piper 