Six killed and scores injured in train crash
multan — At least six passengers were killed and more than 100 others were injured when a passenger train collided with a freight train on late on Wednesday night at Bucha Railway Station near Multan, rescuers and a railway officials said.
The Awami Express, heading to Karachi from Peshawar, struck a goods train which was standing on the tracks. Rescue officials said that around 50 injured were shifted to Nishtar Hospital, Multan, while more than 50 were provided first aid on the spot.
Dr Kaleem, a Rescue Emergency Officer said that the rescue operations had been completed. He added that 40 ambulances, along with 200 rescuers from Lodhran, Muzafar Garh and Multan participated in the operations.
Personnel of the Pakistan Army also participated in the rescue operations.
Saima Khizar, Director Vigilance of Pakistan Railways, Multan Division, said that the affected people were being shifted to Multan through private transport, from where they would be transported to Karachi.
She further said that efforts were being made to clear the railway track. She added that it would take up to 18 hours to make the track functional.
Railway official Saima blamed the accident on the passenger train driver, saying he failed to heed a red signal that went up after the goods train had stopped.
Saima said authorities have ordered a probe to determine the exact cause of accident, but initial investigations suggest the driver of passenger train was at fault for the crash.
Rescue official Kalimullah said six bodies and more than 100 injured passengers were taken to hospitals, and that some of the injured passengers were listed in a critical condition.
TV footage showed derailed cars and wreckage of the train as ambulances rushed away.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in a statement expressed sympathies for the families of the dead and injured.
Train accidents are common in Pakistan, where tracks and bridges are often poorly maintained. — AP
(With inputs from Dawn online)