Tragedy at Railway Station: RPF Soldier Dies in Accidental Explosion of Fire Extinguisher

A Railway Protection Force jawan tragically lost his life when the fire extinguisher he was using to douse a train fire exploded, striking him in the face. An inquiry has been ordered to investigate potential fire safety violations.

Muzaffarpur, Bihar, April 22, 2024: In a catastrophic incident, an RPF trooper lost his life while attempting to extinguish a fire in a train coach with a fire extinguisher, which subsequently exploded at Muzaffarpur station on Monday morning.

The event occurred at 7 AM, shortly after all the passengers had disembarked, when a fire broke out inside the S-8 sleeper coach of the Valsad-Muzaffarpur (19051) Shramik Express. Officials stated that the most probable cause of the fire was a short circuit in the electrical system.

RPF staff member Binod Kumar Yadav intervened immediately, attempting to suppress the fire using a fire extinguisher. However, in a tragic turn of events, the fire extinguisher itself exploded, injuring Yadav critically.

Amresh Kumar, the chief security commissioner of East Central Railway (ECR), who arrived at the scene, reported that Jawan Binod Kumar Yadav succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital. Despite receiving prompt medical attention, his injuries were too severe.

The explosion in the train carriage caused panic among bystanders at the station, with people fleeing in fear. Fire engines arrived swiftly to extinguish the blaze.

Inspector Surendra Prasad Singh, a fire officer from Samastipur, speculated that the violation of fire safety regulations by the train contractor might have been the cause of the fire. "It is evident from statements by firefighters that proper protocols for the maintenance of fire extinguishers were not followed, leading to the explosion," he stated. "Regular pressure tests and maintenance of fire extinguishers are essential components of fire safety."

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However, Birendra Kumar, the director of public relations and communications for ECR, asserted that there was no malfunction in the equipment and that the incident was simply a tragic accident. "The Railway director has ordered an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the accident. Forensic experts have been tasked with examining the evidence at the site," he concluded.

The loss of Jawan Binod Kumar Yadav, who sacrificed his life in service of the railways, is a tragic event that deeply saddens both the railway community and the nation as a whole. The authorities' commitment to conducting a thorough investigation of the incident and ensuring strict adherence to fire safety regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future is commendable.