SAMASTIPUR, Jan. 13 -- A major rail accident was narrowly averted at Samastipur Junction late on Monday night after an unsecured heavy iron hydrant pipe got wedged between a moving train and the platform, triggering sparks and causing damage to the station platform, railway officials said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at around 10.54 pm on January 12 when Train no. 13032, the Jaynagar-Howrah Express, was entering platform no. 3 at low speed. According to the East Central Railway's Samastipur division, a hydrant pipe kept near the Muzaffarpur end of the platform for watering work rolled onto the track and became lodged between the platform edge and the 10th coach from the locomotive.

The pipe remained jammed and was dragged for nearl...