70 killed, 350 hurt as 3 trains collide in Odisha's Balasore

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 2

At least 70 persons were killed and more than 350 others injured in a train crash on Friday in Odisha involving the Bengaluru-Howrah superfast express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel express and a goods train, officials said.

Three-way tragedy

• Bengaluru-Howrah superfast express derails, hits Coromandel express on an adjoining track
• Coromandel express coaches hit a goods train on another track
• Mishap occurred around 7 pm, about 255 km from Howrah

Local villagers, however, claimed that the toll could cross 100. The officials said several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah train that was on way to Howrah derailed at Bahanaga Baazar in Balasore district and fell on adjacent tracks. “These derailed coaches collided with 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel express and its coaches capsized too,” a senior official said.

A goods train was also involved in the accident as some of the coaches of the Coromandel express hit its wagons after getting derailed, the official said. The accident happened around 7 pm, he said. A railway spokesman, however, said the Coromandel express derailed first and its 10-12 coaches fell on the path of the Bengaluru-Howrah express, which then jumped off the tracks.

Over 350 persons have been admitted to different hospitals across the district, officials said, adding that all private and government hospitals had been put on alert in nearby districts. So far, 50 bodies could be brought out from under the overturned coaches, they said.

Several persons were trapped under the derailed coaches and locals were assisting emergency services personnel to rescue them, but darkness was hindering the operation, the officials said.

The local villagers were the first to reach the site and try and help the passengers, pulling out the wounded and the dead from bogies, some of which were nothing but a “mangled heap of steel”, according to witnesses.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said he was rushing to the accident site while Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik is expected to be also at the site by tomorrow morning. The CM announced ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for those grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for those who sustained minor injuries.

President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi expressed grief over the accident. The PM announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. “Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and took stock of the situation,” the PM said. /PTI

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