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Soweto, South Africa, train crash injured hundreds | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
More than 850 people have been injured in a train crash during Thursday's evening rush hour in the South African township of Soweto in Johannesburg, the train operator Metrorail has said. | More than 850 people have been injured in a train crash during Thursday's evening rush hour in the South African township of Soweto in Johannesburg, the train operator Metrorail has said. |
A commuter train hit a stationary one from behind, the force of which threw some passengers through windows. | |
Three of the casualties were in a critical condition, officials said. | Three of the casualties were in a critical condition, officials said. |
Correspondents say most of the injured were treated at the scene, in one of the biggest rail incidents for years. | |
According to the authorities, 25 of the injured are still in hospital. | |
South Africa's Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) said it was investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred at 1750 local time (1350 GMT). | South Africa's Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) said it was investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred at 1750 local time (1350 GMT). |
'Chaos' | |
Local television news pictures showed casualties being treated at the scene by medics - some of them tended to by torchlight. | Local television news pictures showed casualties being treated at the scene by medics - some of them tended to by torchlight. |
Metrorail, which is responsible for running the trains and is heading the salvage operation, told the BBC that 857 people had been injured in the accident. | Metrorail, which is responsible for running the trains and is heading the salvage operation, told the BBC that 857 people had been injured in the accident. |
Medical rescue official Jeff Wicks told the Sapa news agency there had been "chaos" at the scene. | Medical rescue official Jeff Wicks told the Sapa news agency there had been "chaos" at the scene. |
"We had people who were sprayed 200m around the trains... on arrival, paramedics found passengers from both trains lying on the track," he said. | "We had people who were sprayed 200m around the trains... on arrival, paramedics found passengers from both trains lying on the track," he said. |
According to Pretoria News, people lay groaning in the dark, with some waiting more than an hour before being transported to hospital. | According to Pretoria News, people lay groaning in the dark, with some waiting more than an hour before being transported to hospital. |
Synock Matobako, a spokesman for the emergency services, said they had had to request more ambulances because of the number of casualties. | |
"This is the biggest incident in recent years, even though no-one has died. People sustained serious multiple injuries." | |
Fire rumour | |
Evason Mogomotsi, who was on the train, told the BBC he was dozing on the train and woke up when it crashed. | Evason Mogomotsi, who was on the train, told the BBC he was dozing on the train and woke up when it crashed. |
"After the crash, people started screaming and many were trying to get out of the train," he said. | "After the crash, people started screaming and many were trying to get out of the train," he said. |
"There was also a rumour that the other train had caught on fire so people were trying to escape. | "There was also a rumour that the other train had caught on fire so people were trying to escape. |
"Some people were even trying to stand on the people who had fallen in order to get out of the train." | "Some people were even trying to stand on the people who had fallen in order to get out of the train." |
Another passenger, Gladwell Ntusi, said some people jumped out of the windows. | Another passenger, Gladwell Ntusi, said some people jumped out of the windows. |
"It was horrible, I saw people with broken legs, others had cracked their temples. It was not a nice scene," he told reporters. | "It was horrible, I saw people with broken legs, others had cracked their temples. It was not a nice scene," he told reporters. |
The Metrorail train had been travelling between Mzimhlophe and Phomolong in Soweto. | The Metrorail train had been travelling between Mzimhlophe and Phomolong in Soweto. |
More than two million passengers travel daily on South Africa's commuter trains. | |
Were you in Soweto when this happened? Did you witness this event? Let us know by filling in the form below. | Were you in Soweto when this happened? Did you witness this event? Let us know by filling in the form below. |