The death toll in the train accident near Indonesia’s capital Jakarta has increased to 14, while 84 people are said to be injured. The train operator gave this information on Tuesday. After the accident, the rescue team is still busy in evacuating the people trapped under the debris.
The collision occurred between a commuter train and a long-distance train in the Bekasi area outside Jakarta late on Monday night. Mohammad Syafi, head of Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency, told a press conference on Tuesday morning that rescuing people trapped in damaged coaches is a very careful task.
Are people trapped in the train debris?
He said that personnel with special skills are required for this work. Some people are still alive, but are trapped in the train debris and efforts are on to get them out safely.
What steps are being taken to evacuate people?
The teams present on the spot have separated both the trains. Rescue workers are using machines to cut the metal of the train coaches, so that the passengers trapped inside can be reached.
How did the accident happen?
Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri said the long-distance train collided with the last carriage of the commuter train, which was reserved only for women. All the deceased and injured in the accident were passengers of the commuter train, while about 240 passengers in the other train were evacuated safely. According to initial information, the commuter train was standing on the tracks after colliding with a taxi at a level crossing when the accident occurred.
What investigation is going on into the accident?
Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee has started investigating this accident. According to the Search and Rescue Agency, many coaches have been heavily damaged due to the collision and some passengers are left stranded inside. The video surfaced on social media shows the scene after the accident, where injured people are seen lying near the debris.
Earlier in January 2024, a major train accident had occurred in West Java province in Indonesia, in which four crew members were killed and about two dozen passengers were injured. Earlier in 2015, a train had hit a minibus at a level crossing in Jakarta, resulting in the loss of 16 lives. After these accidents, concerns have been continuously raised regarding railway safety and infrastructure.
Comments are closed.