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South Africa train crash: Twelve dead in truck collision | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A passenger train has caught fire in South Africa after colliding with a truck, killing at least 12 people and injuring 180, an official has said. | |
Video footage showed a fire blazing through at least one carriage, by a crushed car and an overturned truck. | Video footage showed a fire blazing through at least one carriage, by a crushed car and an overturned truck. |
Evacuated passengers were seen standing on the roadside with luggage. | Evacuated passengers were seen standing on the roadside with luggage. |
The collision occurred near Kroonstad city in Free State province, after the truck failed to stop at a crossing, a passenger told local media. | The collision occurred near Kroonstad city in Free State province, after the truck failed to stop at a crossing, a passenger told local media. |
About 850 passengers had been safely evacuated from the train, police were quoted as saying. | About 850 passengers had been safely evacuated from the train, police were quoted as saying. |
The driver of the truck tried to flee, but was arrested by police, passenger Seipati Moletsane told the privately owned eCNA news site. | The driver of the truck tried to flee, but was arrested by police, passenger Seipati Moletsane told the privately owned eCNA news site. |
Passengers in the first two coaches were wounded, she added. | Passengers in the first two coaches were wounded, she added. |
"I was so traumatised. I didn't know what to do. I was looking for a door just to jump out. Every door was locked... All of a sudden, we just saw smoke, smoke, smoke," Ms Moletsane said. | "I was so traumatised. I didn't know what to do. I was looking for a door just to jump out. Every door was locked... All of a sudden, we just saw smoke, smoke, smoke," Ms Moletsane said. |
A tweeter posted a video of the fire. | A tweeter posted a video of the fire. |
Firemen rushed to the scene and battled the blaze on the train, which had been travelling from the coastal city of Port Elizabeth to the commercial capital, Johannesburg. | Firemen rushed to the scene and battled the blaze on the train, which had been travelling from the coastal city of Port Elizabeth to the commercial capital, Johannesburg. |
At least 12 people were killed and 180 injured in the collision, Free State government health spokesman Mondli Mvambi told AFP news agency. | |
The number of dead could rise, he added. | |
The train was travelling from the coastal city of Port Elizabeth to the commercial capital, Johannesburg, when the crash occurred. | The train was travelling from the coastal city of Port Elizabeth to the commercial capital, Johannesburg, when the crash occurred. |