UP train derailment leaves 34 dead, 150 injured
21 March 2015 11:36 PM GMT
Though the exact cause of the derailment was not immediately known, officials at the mishap spot said the train apparently overshot a signal because of a possible brake failure before coming off the rails. The scene of the accident that occured at 9.10 am was some 50 km from Uttar Pradesh capital Lucknow. “The death toll has mounted to 34. While 30 persons died in Rae Bareli, four were declared brought dead in Lucknow,” UP Minister Manoj Kumar Pandey said. Officials feared that the casualties could go up.
One of the coaches was a general compartment, which lay mangled along the tracks as rescuers used gas cutters to rip apart the wreckage to find trapped people. Most of the casualties were from this coach, officials said.
The other was a guard compartment, which is likely to have been vacant. If it was not vacant, the number of casualties would have been higher, the officials said.
The locomotive driver apparently overshot the signal and as a result, the engine and two adjoining coaches derailed, Railway Spokesperson Anil Saxena said in Delhi. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner Railway Safety of Northern Circle to ascertain the cause of the derailment.
The Railways announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed in the accident. While Rs 50,000 will be given to those injured seriously, Rs 20,000 will be given to people with minor injuries. Railway sources said the driver apparently applied the brake but the train did not stop raising suspicions of the failure of the braking system.
An eyewitness, who was travelling in the first bogey and was fortunate enough to jump at Bachrawan railway station where the train did not halt before the mishap, said he saw the driver and the guard frantically signalling from the doors.
One of the coaches was a general compartment, which lay mangled along the tracks as rescuers used gas cutters to rip apart the wreckage to find trapped people. Most of the casualties were from this coach, officials said.
The other was a guard compartment, which is likely to have been vacant. If it was not vacant, the number of casualties would have been higher, the officials said.
The locomotive driver apparently overshot the signal and as a result, the engine and two adjoining coaches derailed, Railway Spokesperson Anil Saxena said in Delhi. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu ordered an inquiry by the Commissioner Railway Safety of Northern Circle to ascertain the cause of the derailment.
The Railways announced a compensation of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of those killed in the accident. While Rs 50,000 will be given to those injured seriously, Rs 20,000 will be given to people with minor injuries. Railway sources said the driver apparently applied the brake but the train did not stop raising suspicions of the failure of the braking system.
An eyewitness, who was travelling in the first bogey and was fortunate enough to jump at Bachrawan railway station where the train did not halt before the mishap, said he saw the driver and the guard frantically signalling from the doors.
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