Dozens killed, several injured in powerful Quetta shuttle train blast

QUETTA: Dozens of people were killed and several others injured after a blast tore through a shuttle train near Chaman Phatak in Quetta on Sunday morning.

The blast hit the passenger shuttle train travelling from Quetta Cantonment to the city railway station shortly after 8am, according to initial reports.

The Railway authorities said the train was passing near Chaman Phatak when an explosive device detonated, triggering a massive explosion.

Pakistan Railways confirmed that rescue teams, including relief trains and emergency trucks, were immediately dispatched to the scene as large-scale rescue operations began.

Several coaches were derailed in the impact, while others overturned, causing widespread panic and destruction.

The explosion sparked a fire that quickly spread to nearby vehicles, with multiple cars reportedly burned.

Fire brigade units later brought the blaze under control after intense efforts, while thick smoke continued to rise from the wreckage for hours.

Security forces, including the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) and bomb disposal squad, cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the incident.

According to the authorities concerned, the blast was powerful enough to be heard across multiple parts of the city and also damaged nearby houses and infrastructure.

Eyewitness videos from the scene showed a badly mangled train carriage lying on its side, burnt-out vehicles, and rescuers pulling injured passengers from the wreckage.

Ambulances rushed victims to nearby hospitals as emergency services struggled to manage the scale of the casualties.

Officials said army personnel were believed to be among the passengers on board, with some reports suggesting the train was carrying troops and their families travelling for the Eid holiday period.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact number of casualties as rescue operations continue.

According to the authorities, the nature of the explosion, though early assessments suggest it may have been a targeted attack using an explosive-laden device.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned the incident, calling it a terrorist attack and blaming “Fitna al Hindustan” for targeting innocent civilians.

Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi also condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act of terrorism, and said that railway operations would continue without interruption despite the tragedy.

Rescue operations and investigations are still underway, with authorities working to determine the full scale of the casualties and the circumstances behind one of the deadliest attacks on the region’s railway network in recent years.