At least 17 people were killed and many others injured after a passenger train collided with a goods train in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh.
The accident happened when a passenger train collided with a freight train at Bhairab, about 80 kilometres from the capital Dhaka.
The crash occurred when the Dhaka-bound Godhuli Express collided head-on with a cargo train heading to Chattogram.
Train services to other parts of the country remained suspended following the accident.
Several people are feared to be injured in the accident, local media reported quoting witnesses who said that many people were trapped under the train.
“We have recovered 15 bodies, many are injured,” Sadiqur Rahman, a government administrator in Bhairab told AFP.
“The death toll will rise,” he said as rescuers reported that they could still see bodies crushed and trapped under overturned coaches.
At least 100 people were injured, he added.
Many of the injured are lying under the damaged coaches, reports claimed.
Fire services personnel reached the spot and started a rescue operation, Reuters reported. The death toll could climb as rescue operations were ongoing, local police official Sirajul Islam said as per the news agency.
The number of casualties could increase, Bhairab Fire Station official Mosharraf Hossain told The Associated Press. He said rescuers and local people started a rescue operation and the bodies of at least 12 people were recovered.
Fire service officials on the spot said three passenger carriages were upturned and feared many people were trapped.
“We expect to find more bodies as well as injured passengers during the rescue process,” a fire service official said, adding, that a rescue train with cranes has left for the accident site.
Investigation launched
“An initial report said that the freight train crashed into the Egaro Sindur from behind, striking two of the carriages,” Anowar Hossain, superintendent of Dhaka Railway Police, was quoted as saying by bdnews24 news portal.
Nazmul Islam, acting general manager (east) of Bangladesh Railway, said that the container train had disregarded a signal and rammed into the last three carriages of the passenger train.
The locomaster, assistant locomaster, and guard of the freight train have been suspended, Bangladesh Railway Director General Quamrul Ahsan said adding that they have taken the steps following the preliminary investigation. (Hindustan Times)
