Egypt Military Train Accident Kills At Least 19, Scores Injured

Egypt military train accident kills at least 19, scores injured < br />

2013-01-16 07:17:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

CAIRO, EGYPT (BNO NEWS) -- An Egyptian military train crash killed at least 19 army recruits and injured scores of others, local media reported said Tuesday.

The train was carrying 1,328 conscripts from Egypt's Central Security Forces (CSF), when it derailed in the city of Giza, which is part of the Greater Cairo metropolis, and crashed with a cargo train outside a storage depot at the Badrashin station.

The 12-carriage train took off at around 6 p.m. local time and was heading towards Cairo, the country's capital, when two of the train's cars derailed, with around 200 recruits inside each one of them.

According to one of the victims who spoke with Ahram Online, those who died had been crammed into upper compartments usually used for baggage. The exact number of victims could still vary, but initial reports indicate that at least 19 were confirmed dead, while over 100 others were injured.

The train had been tansporting CSF personnel, which would make Egypt's defense ministry responsible of the accident, but officials have been pointing fingers, saying the train belonged to the country's state security department.

Egypt's health ministry spokesperson, Ahmed Omar, told local media 66 ambulances were dispatched to the scene, as emergency teams rushed the victims to local hospitals. However, no further details were immediately available.

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