11 people died in India as passengers fled in fear of another train catching fire

At least 11 people have been killed and five injured after fleeing rumors of a train fire in India, only to be hit by another train.

Railway officials said passengers got off the Mumbai-bound train in western Maharashtra state after someone pulled the emergency cord, stopping it.

They were hit by a train on a nearby track. At the moment it was not clear whether the fire had really started.

India has launched a $30bn (£24bn) plan to upgrade its railways in recent years but this has been marred by a series of accidents, including major accident of three trains in 2023 in the state of Odisha which left almost 300 people dead.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said in an X post that he was “deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life” during the incident near Pachora in Jalgaon district, about 400km from Mumbai, India’s financial capital.

He said eight ambulances have been dispatched and hospitals are ready.

The accident will be seen as a setback for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has called for the modernization of the railways to improve the economy and connectivity.

There are plans to improve spending on the program in next month’s budget, Reuters news agency reported.