West Bengal: Train engine derails, catches fire after hitting lorry on tracks

Kolkata: The engine of an express train derailed and caught fire after hitting a lorry, which came onto the tracks at a level-crossing, in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Monday, an official said.

No casualty was reported in the accident that happened between Dhulian Ganga and Ballalpur stations in the Malda division of the Eastern Railway in the early hours, he said.

The lorry dashed through the level-crossing gate, and came onto the tracks when the Kolkata-Radhikapur express was approaching, the ER official said.

Four wheels of the engine derailed after hitting the lorry, and caught fire, infringing both up and down tracks, he said.

The engine was detached immediately and the fire was extinguished with the help of the fire brigade, he added.

A number of passenger trains were cancelled, diverted or short-terminated as a result of the accident, because of which the tracks were blocked, the official said.