On April 09, 2019 at 16:33 hours a fast train (FT) № 8602 has left Burgas station to Sofia station, consisting of 5 wagons, 20 axles, 237 tons, serviced by electric locomotive № 46221.8. The fast train runs along Burgas - Stara Zagora - Plovdiv - Sofia. The train has arrived at Stara Zagora Station by schedule at 18:31hours and after a two-minute stay, at 18:33 hours, it has departed. During the movement, the train has kept the section speed and the limitations along the railway. Upon entering Svoboda station, the locomotive brigade hears a strange noise coming from the locomotive's truck. The motorman undertakes a quick stop with the automatic train brake and the train stops at 18:56 hours at the station. After the inspection of the locomotive, the locomotive brigade doesn't find anything unusual and the train leaves Svoboda station at 19:02 hours. When the train leaves the station, the locomotive brigade senses a burned insulation smell and sees that the machine room is filled with smoke. The motorman undertakes a stop with the train brake and the train stops at 19:05 hours in Svoboda - Chirpan stage. The motorman enters the locomotive engine room and finds out that flames and smoke come out of the compressor. He takes off the pantograph and, together with the assistant motorman, they start extinguishing the fire with the fire extinguishers in the locomotive loaded with carbon dioxide. After using the fire extinguishers they fail to extinguish the fire and the motorman calls the common emergency number 112. The locomotive brigade manages to dismantle the locomotive from the wagons and pulls it to a safe distance, notifies the services concerned in accordance with the established order.
In consequence of the fire in the electric locomotive № 46221, there were no injured personnel and injured passengers on the train, damages are caused to the electric locomotive, no damages to the railway infrastructure.