Written By: Video Desk
Updated: October 12, 2024 5:27 PM IST
On Saturday, a train accident in Tamil Nadu caused multiple coaches to derail, leading to several injuries and fatalities. The accident happened near Tiruvallur district, and emergency responders quickly arrived to rescue trapped passengers and provide medical help.
The train derailment in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvallur district happened due to a "mismatch between signal and route," said RN Singh who is the General Manager of Southern Railways. He told NDTV that the accident occurred when a passenger train, traveling at 75 km per hour, crashed into a stationary goods train.
The Mysuru-Darbhanga Bagmati Express should have been directed to the main line, but "something went wrong," said RN Singh. Instead, the train was mistakenly switched to a closed section of the track where the goods train was parked, leading to the collision.
RN Singh also said it's too early to determine exactly what went wrong. He mentioned that although the signal was set for the main line, the track ended up switching the train onto the closed loop, leading to the accident.
The passenger train, headed to Gudur in Andhra Pradesh, stopped at Kavaraippettai Station, where a goods train bound for Gudur was parked on the loop line.
Although the passenger train had priority and was cleared for the main line, it mistakenly switched to the loop line and crashed into the goods train from behind, causing the engine to derail. Officials mentioned that the crew felt a "heavy jerk" just before the train entered the loop line while the Railway Safety Commissioner will investigate to determine the exact cause of the accident, he added.
The accident derailed 12 coaches, injuring 19 people, but no deaths were reported. A power car caught fire, and injured passengers are being treated in state hospitals. Others were taken by bus to Chennai and placed on a special train to continue their trips.
The derailment, 40 km from Chennai, has disrupted services, with at least 18 trains canceled or diverted for repairs.