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Dozens killed and hundreds injured in Cameroon train derailment Sixty-three killed and 500 injured in train derailment in Cameroon
(about 13 hours later)
Fifty-five people have been killed and almost 600 injured after a packed Cameroon passenger train derailed, leaving debris strewn across nearby tracks as carriages swung off the rails. Sixty-three people have been killed and about 500 injured after a packed Cameroon passenger train derailed, leaving debris strewn across nearby tracks as carriages swung off the rails.
The train, travelling from the capital Yaounde to the economic hub Douala on Friday, was crammed with people due to road traffic disruption between the two cities and came off the tracks just before reaching the central city of Eseka, transport minister Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo’o said. The train, travelling from the capital Yaoundé to the economic hub Douala on Friday, was crammed with people due to road traffic disruption between the two cities and came off the tracks just before reaching the central city of Eséka.
The minister, via state broadcaster CRTV, said 55 people had been confirmed dead and a further 575 were injured. The death toll had stood at 55, but the communications minister, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, said: “Since the last figures were given, other bodies have been found. As of right now, we are at 63 dead and at least 500 wounded. The work to clear the wreckage is continuing.”
“The cause of the accident is not yet clear,” he said, adding that several of the injured were in a very serious condition. Many of the injured were in a very serious condition. The cause of the accident remained unclear.
“Intervention and security teams have been mobilised,” the rail company Camrail, a subsidiary of French investment group Bollore, announced. “Intervention and security teams have been mobilised,” said the rail company Camrail, a subsidiary of the French company Bollore.
Emergency services had been sent from the economic capital to reinforce teams closer to the scene of the accident, while firefighters were coming from Eseka, Doula regional governor Dieudonne Ivaha Diboua said. Work began during the night to remove the derailed wagons from the line – one of the main routes for goods and passengers between the coast and interior.
Emergency services had been sent from the economic capital to reinforce teams closer to the scene of the accident, while firefighters were coming from Eséka, said the Doula regional governor, Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua.
Transport ministry officials have also gone to the accident site.Transport ministry officials have also gone to the accident site.
The train left Yaounde at around 11am (1000 GMT) and derailed around midday some 200km from the capital, the transport minister said. The train left Yaoundé at about 11am (1000 GMT) and derailed about an hour later some 200km from the capital, the transport minister said.
The train route was particularly busy after a bridge on the road linking Yaounde and Douala collapsed in heavy rain on Thursday, paralysing traffic and sending extra waves of travellers onto trains. The train route was particularly busy after a bridge on the road linking Yaoundé and Douala collapsed in heavy rain on Thursday, paralysing traffic and sending extra waves of travellers on to trains. The effects of the rain also impeded the arrival of emergency aid.
The effects of the rains also impeded the arrival of emergency aid.
The road is one of the busiest in the country and one of the main commercial routes in central Africa, carrying trade towards landlocked Chad and the Central African Republic.The road is one of the busiest in the country and one of the main commercial routes in central Africa, carrying trade towards landlocked Chad and the Central African Republic.
Many travellers were still blocked on either side of the collapsed bridge late on Friday, Martial Missimikim of road safety NGO Securoute told AFP. Many travellers were still blocked on either side of the collapsed bridge late on Friday, said Martial Missimikim of the road safety NGO Securoute.