ALBAWABA- At least eight people were killed and 13 injured on Tuesday afternoon when a passenger train rammed into a stationary goods train in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district, triggering a fiery crash that mangled several coaches and spotlighted persistent safety lapses in India’s vast rail network.
The collision occurred near Lal Khadan station, when the MEMU passenger train (No. 68733) traveling from Gevra Road to Bilaspur rear-ended a parked freight train, derailing multiple front carriages.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and devastation, twisted metal, plumes of smoke, and frantic cries for help as passengers, many of them daily commuters, were trapped in the wreckage.
🚨 अत्यंत दुखद खबर
बिलासपुर छत्तीसगढ़ में मालगाड़ी और पैसेंजर ट्रेन आपस में टकरा गए
राहत बचाव कार्य में टीम जुट गई है और अभी तक छह लोगों की मौत की सूचना मिली है#TrainAccident #Bilaspur
#BiharElection2025 #OpinionPoll pic.twitter.com/vNfbdeBPcd— सी॰ए॰ अंकित गुप्ता 🇮🇳 (@gankitca) November 4, 2025
“The impact was like thunder, the front coach just crumpled,” recalled Rajesh Kumar, a local vendor who joined rescue efforts moments after the crash.
Rescue teams from Indian Railways, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local police worked through the evening to free survivors and recover bodies. The injured were rushed to Bilaspur’s Apollo Hospital and nearby medical facilities. Officials confirmed that all passengers were accounted for by late evening.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao visited the site, calling the collision a “heartbreaking tragedy” and promising compensation and assistance for victims’ families. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai ordered an expedited investigation, while the Railway Ministry announced a high-level inquiry to determine whether signaling failures or human error caused the crash.
