KARACHI/LAHORE: At least one person died and 13 others were injured on Sunday after Lahore-bound Shalimar Express collided with a goods train at Lakha Road Railway Station in Sindh’s Naushahro Feroze district on Sunday, Rescue 1122 said.
In a statement, Sindh’s Rescue 1122 said a body was recovered from the site, while the injured were rescued and provided with first aid.
The rescue service listed the names and ages of the 13 injured, with the wounded aged between 15 and 60 years.
Rescue 1122 said its Urban Search and Rescue teams from the Bandhi satellite station had reached the site of the incident soon after receiving the alert.
But, Pakistan Railways (PR) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amir Ali Baloch maintained while speaking to Dawn that no casualties were reported in the incident.
Sources earlier told Dawn that as Shalimar Express approached Lakha Road Station, the interlocking system was set such that the train veered toward a loop line, where a goods train was parked. Subsequently, the driver immediately applied the brakes, but the train eventually collided with the parked train, they said.
As a result, the passenger train’s locomotive and several coaches were derailed and capsized.
Shalimar Express’s driver, Haji Fayyaz, also told Dawn that “our kanta (interlocking /signalling system) was set for the loop line, whereas we had to pass the station without stopping”.
“The brake also did not work properly, and the signal was also red,” he said.
According to sources, traffic on the main line was disrupted due to the collision, and a relief train was dispatched to the accident site for the removal of the damaged locomotive, coaches and wagons.
Inquiry ordered
PR spokesperson told Dawn that an inquiry had been ordered into the incident, and that a three-member inquiry team had been constituted for the purpose.
Meanwhile, CEO Baloch believed the driver’s negligence caused the accident.
The CEO said that if one of the two signals was red, it meant that the driver was supposed to stop. “And if the interlocking system was set for the loop line, the driver should have understood that he was supposed to stop,” he added.
But, he continued, anything could only be said with certainty after the inquiry.
He said the inquiry committee comprised three 19-grade officers.
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources, such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
