Man dies, hundreds injured as trains collide
A MAN died and 243 people were injured yesterday when two Metrorail trains collided head-on at Tembisa, in the Ekurhuleni metro, Gauteng. A preliminary report showed that one of the drivers skipped a signal.
Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa spokeswoman Lillian Mofokeng said: “Metrorail train 1851, travelling from Tembisa to Kaalfontein, collided head-on with train 1848 between Kaalfontein and Tembisa stations today at 12.50pm. The preliminary finding is that human error led to the accident. One train passed the signal at danger,” she said. A board of inquiry would be set up and the Rail Safety Regulator would work with Prasa.
As paramedics tended to injured passengers, a woman arrived on the scene and moments later started wailing.
Emergency workers and some of her relatives tried to comfort her, but she was inconsolable. She had just heard the news that her relative – a 20-year-old – had died in the crash.
ER24 spokesman Russel Meiring said when paramedics arrived “numerous occupants had already begun to climb out of the train and were now scattered around the scene”.
“On further inspection paramedics discovered a body trapped inside the wreckage.
“Unfortunately nothing more could be done and the patient was declared dead on the scene.”
The injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Ekurhuleni.
Mofokeng said Prasa would provide counselling to affected families.
“As Metrorail, we will be giving support to the families of the people affected, through counselling.”
She said the corridor between Kaalfontein and Tembisa had been effectively shut down.
“We are running one line today. Delays will more than 60 minutes
“For now we are providing bus services for commuters. Those who have their own means of transport can use those.”