Coromandel Express Train Accident: The Railways ordered a probe on possible operational failure.
New Delhi:
At least 261 people were killed and more than 900 injured after a horrific three-train collision last evening in Odisha’s Balasore.
The incident took place when a passenger train, the Coromandel Shalimar Express, derailed and hit a goods train, and another train, the Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast, crashed into the derailed coaches.
The number of dead is likely to rise, and many are believed to be trapped in the wreckage.
“Two passenger trains had an active involvement in the accident while the third train, a goods train, which was parked at the site, also got (involved) in the accident,” Amitabh Sharma, executive director, Indian Railways, told AFP.
One of the deadliest train accidents took place around 7 pm, when many passengers were sleeping.
The Coromandel Shalimar Express, heading to Chennai, reportedly derailed and hit a goods train, after which many coaches flipped over.
The Yesvantpur-Howrah Superfast then collided with the derailed coaches. Both trains were moving at a high speed when the collisions took place.
According to officials and witnesses, the massive tragedy took place in a matter of minutes, between 6.50 pm and 7.10 pm.
The Railways have ordered a probe amid questions on possible operational failure.
Rescue operations continued overnight as workers and local people tried to pull out bodies and survivors from the mangled wreckage.
Visuals from the crash site showed smashed train coaches torn open and twisted train tracks.
