A fire near Kelve Road railway station on the Western Railway’s Dahanu-Virar stretch has reignited concerns over the region’s poor emergency response network, after fire engines failed to reach the spot in time. The incident occurred when smoke was spotted from the engine of train no 59023 Valsad Fast Passenger. Within minutes, flames erupted, forcing the train to halt for passenger safety. While the blaze was eventually contained, the real crisis lay in the response.

Although the fire brigade was alerted promptly, tenders could not reach the site due to narrow, muddy, pothole-ridden roads and lack of access to the tracks. Firefighters were forced to park their vehicles far away and drag long water pipelines to the scene, causing a critical delay. Experts warn such lapses could turn a manageable blaze into a catastrophe.