Several feared dead as blast hits shuttle train in Quetta

QUETTA: Several people were feared dead after a blast struck a shuttle train near Chaman Phatak in Quetta on Sunday morning, according to railway authorities cited by state-run APP.

The train was travelling from Quetta Cantonment to the railway station when it was targeted near Chaman Phatak shortly after 8am. The exact nature of the explosion was not immediately clear.

Pakistan Railways confirmed that a blast had taken place and said rescue trucks and a relief train were sent to the site to support emergency operations.

Damage and rescue operation

According to APP, the explosion derailed three coaches, including the locomotive, while two coaches overturned. Security personnel cordoned off the area soon after the incident and began rescue work.

The blast was heard in several far-off parts of the city and also damaged nearby houses. A fire that reportedly broke out in nearby vehicles was later brought under control after efforts involving multiple fire brigade vehicles.

One video circulating from the scene showed around 10 vehicles, most of them badly damaged, near the blast site. The available report did not provide an official casualty count, but said several people were feared dead.

The incident took place in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, where security-related incidents have repeatedly affected transport and public infrastructure. In this case, railway authorities and Pakistan Railways both confirmed the attack on the shuttle service and the dispatch of emergency assistance.

Officials had not immediately clarified what kind of explosive device was involved. The initial information available focused on the damage to the train, the impact on surrounding property and vehicles, and the emergency response launched after the blast.

Rescue activity remained under way after the explosion, with relief teams working at the site following the derailment and overturning of coaches. The area around Chaman Phatak remained sealed as authorities responded to the incident.

Only that several fatalities were feared and that the explosion caused extensive disruption at the scene.