Passenger Train Slams Into Derailed Train In Western India, Killing 1

[News_Editor]

Passenger train slams into derailed train in western India, killing 1 < br />

2012-07-21 06:14:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

MUMBAI, INDIA (BNO NEWS) -- A passenger train collided with derailed coaches of another train in western India on late Thursday evening, killing at least one person and injuring more than a dozen others, railway officials said on Friday.

The collision occurred at around 9:30 p.m. local time on Thursday near the town of Kasara in the Thane district of Maharashtra state, some 87 kilometers (54 miles) northeast of Mumbai. It happened shortly after a Central Railway suburban train had derailed due to a landslide in the area.

Railway officials said four coaches of the Central Railway suburban train derailed and ended up on another track which is used by long-distance trains. The Mumbai-Gondia Vidarbha Express attempted to make an emergency stop when the train driver spotted the derailed train, but the vehicle was unable to stop in time and slammed into the derailed coaches.

The powerful impact threw at least one coach of the Express train off its track, according to video from the scene. Officials said at least one person was killed, identified as 65-year-old Shakeela Quereshi of Titwala in Thane district, while 13 others were injured. Four of those injured were in a critical condition.

India's railroad network is the fourth largest in the world and carries more than 14 million passengers and over a million tonnes of freight daily. But accidents are common, mainly as a result of poor maintenance and human error.

On May 22, at least 25 people were killed and more than 70 others were injured when a Hampi Express train crashed into a stationary freight train at the rail station in Penukonda, a small town in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh state. Investigators said the Hampi Express train likely crossed a red signal, either by a fault on the train driver's part or because of a technical problem.

And in July 2011, a total of 70 people were killed and more than 300 others were injured when a passenger train bound for the Indian capital of New Delhi derailed in Uttar Pradesh state. Just hours later, another passenger train derailed in western Assam state, injuring around 50 people.

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