Odisha put together crash: Toll climbs to 288, preliminary report blames human error and signal failure

Express News Service

BAHANAGA: The demise toll throughout the tragic triple-train collision near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district climbed as a lot as 288 on Saturday as rescue teams recovered further our our bodies which were trapped contained within the ill-fated trains.

The Indian navy has moreover been pressed into service as quite a lot of passengers are nonetheless feared trapped. The casualty figures would possibly rise further.

Tragedy struck when the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express rammed proper right into a stationary gadgets put together virtually 100 metres sooner than Bahanaga station, about 180 km from Bhubaneswar, and jumped off the observe. While on the very least 12 coaches of the put together capsized, its engine went up and landed on the merchandise put together throughout the have an effect on of the collision.

Railway sources talked about the tragic accident, one among many deadliest put together mishaps after 1990, involved three trains as two frequent bogies of Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru-Howrah Daily Superfast Express, which was coming within the different means obtained derailed after quite a lot of the capsized coaches of Coromandel Express collided with them.

An preliminary joint inspection report by the Kharagpur railway division officers revealed that the observe joints have been incorrectly positioned, and the signal panel throughout the station grasp’s room did not synchronize with them at Bahanaga Bazar station.

“The goods train was in a stationary position on the loop line and the signal was given for movement of the train on the Up line. But we are still unable to understand how the Coromandel Express that was supposed to pass through the Up line (main line) came on the loop line and hit the goods train,” talked about a railway official posted at Bahanaga station on scenario of anonymity.

In one among many worst railway disasters in India, on the very least 280 people have been killed and better than 900 injured when three trains collided one after one different in a horrific sequence in #Odisha’s Balasore district.#BalasoreTrainAccident #OdishaFollowTragedy #TrainAccident pic.twitter.com/HLa6zIzsdB

— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) June 3, 2023

Railway board chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti, who visited the spot, talked about the Commissioner railway safety of South East Circle AM Chowdhary has been tasked to inquire into the accident and uncover out the exact set off.

“No one will be spared. Let the preliminary inquiry get over,” he talked about.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw moreover visited the spot and inspected the capsized coaches. He interacted with quite a lot of the injured and rescued passengers.

“A high-level probe has been ordered. We will go to the root of the cause. We are now focusing on the rescue operation as a priority. Men and machinery have been mobilized from different places to rescue the trapped passengers and get them treated at the earliest,” he talked about.

ALSO READ: “People were groaning in pain, crying for help”: Passengers in Odisha put together tragedy recount horror experience

Rabi Ranjan Singh, an engineer from Howrah recalled the horrific moments. “I heard a huge shudder and a sharp jerk accompanied by a screeching sound when we were discussing some family matters. Before I could realize what happened, people in our B1 air-conditioning coach fell one after another. The next thing I knew I was on the floor of the compartment. Luggage was strewn around and some of my co-passengers were shouting.”

“By the time we found our feet and looked out the window of the coach, what we saw jolted us further. Barring the B1 and B2 AC coaches, the rest of the AC coaches had jumped off the tracks. We were lucky that the derailment did not cause any major injuries to our nine-member family on board Coromandel Express. The impact on the coaches from the engine was severe,” he talked about.

Singh’s family has taken shelter at a close-by establishing and is planning to return to Howrah. 

READ MORE: PM Modi to go to arrange accident web page, hospital in Odisha

The Odisha authorities issued helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).

BAHANAGA: The demise toll throughout the tragic triple-train collision near Bahanaga Bazar railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district climbed as a lot as 288 on Saturday as rescue teams recovered further our our bodies which were trapped contained within the ill-fated trains.

The Indian navy has moreover been pressed into service as quite a lot of passengers are nonetheless feared trapped. The casualty figures would possibly rise further.

Tragedy struck when the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express rammed proper right into a stationary gadgets put together virtually 100 metres sooner than Bahanaga station, about 180 km from Bhubaneswar, and jumped off the observe. While on the very least 12 coaches of the put together capsized, its engine went up and landed on the merchandise put together throughout the have an effect on of the collision.googletag.cmd.push(carry out() googletag.present(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); );

Railway sources talked about the tragic accident, one among many deadliest put together mishaps after 1990, involved three trains as two frequent bogies of Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminal Bengaluru-Howrah Daily Superfast Express, which was coming within the different means obtained derailed after quite a lot of the capsized coaches of Coromandel Express collided with them.

An preliminary joint inspection report by the Kharagpur railway division officers revealed that the observe joints have been incorrectly positioned, and the signal panel throughout the station grasp’s room did not synchronize with them at Bahanaga Bazar station.

“The goods train was in a stationary position on the loop line and the signal was given for movement of the train on the Up line. But we are still unable to understand how the Coromandel Express that was supposed to pass through the Up line (main line) came on the loop line and hit the goods train,” talked about a railway official posted at Bahanaga station on scenario of anonymity.

In one among many worst railway disasters in India, on the very least 280 people have been killed and better than 900 injured when three trains collided one after one different in a horrific sequence in #Odisha’s Balasore district.#BalasoreTrainAccident #OdishaFollowTragedy #TrainAccident pic.twitter.com/HLa6zIzsdB
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) June 3, 2023
Railway board chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti, who visited the spot, talked about the Commissioner railway safety of South East Circle AM Chowdhary has been tasked to inquire into the accident and uncover out the exact set off.

“No one will be spared. Let the preliminary inquiry get over,” he talked about.

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw moreover visited the spot and inspected the capsized coaches. He interacted with quite a lot of the injured and rescued passengers.

“A high-level probe has been ordered. We will go to the root of the cause. We are now focusing on the rescue operation as a priority. Men and machinery have been mobilized from different places to rescue the trapped passengers and get them treated at the earliest,” he talked about.

ALSO READ: “People were groaning in pain, crying for help”: Passengers in Odisha put together tragedy recount horror experience

Rabi Ranjan Singh, an engineer from Howrah recalled the horrific moments. “I heard a huge shudder and a sharp jerk accompanied by a screeching sound when we were discussing some family matters. Before I could realize what happened, people in our B1 air-conditioning coach fell one after another. The next thing I knew I was on the floor of the compartment. Luggage was strewn around and some of my co-passengers were shouting.”

“By the time we found our feet and looked out the window of the coach, what we saw jolted us further. Barring the B1 and B2 AC coaches, the rest of the AC coaches had jumped off the tracks. We were lucky that the derailment did not cause any major injuries to our nine-member family on board Coromandel Express. The impact on the coaches from the engine was severe,” he talked about.

Singh’s family has taken shelter at a close-by establishing and is planning to return to Howrah. 

READ MORE: PM Modi to go to arrange accident web page, hospital in Odisha

The Odisha authorities issued helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).