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Tag: train crash

  • India Train Crash Kills 40, Injures Over 150

    A train wreck in India has killed 40 people and left over 150 others injured. A Gorakhpur Express passenger train collided with a stationary goods train in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populated state. Before colliding with the goods train, the passenger train derailed.

    At least six of the cars connected to the passenger train collided with the goods train, killing or injuring many people onboard. The train’s driver and assistant driver were among those who were injured during the accident.

    India has one of the world’s largest railroad networks and at least 18 million people travel on trains in India each day. Unfortunately, India has a failing infrastructure that is in need of work. Many of the railways and highways in India are old and need to be repaired or rebuilt.

    Narendra Modi, India’s newly sworn-in prime minister, is aware of this problem and has vowed to make the railways and highways safer for travelers. He has promised to build new inter-state highways and a network of bullet trains. He also plans to work on electricity shortages, which are also a big problem in India.

    Modi offered his condolences to the victims of the train crash and their families on Twitter.

    The accident has only fueled his desires to improve India’s infrastructure so similar accidents can be avoided in the future.

    Just a few weeks ago another train crash claimed the lives of 19 people and left 130 people injured.

    How do you think Modi can improve the railways and avoid future train crashes and derailments?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Casselton Residents Allowed To Return Home

    On December 30th, authorities ordered the evacuation of Casselton, ND residents after a massive train collision. A BNSF train carrying oil tankers crashed into another train and several of the oil tanks caught fire. Despite the lack of injuries or fatalities directly associated with the crash, a series of blasts and toxic smoke remained a cause for alarm. This was verified through the sheriff’s office which noted that the wind would be taking the smoke from the crash into populated areas. The exposure to the fumes could have resulted in a potential health hazard for anyone in the area. To prevent this, approximately 2,400 people and individuals within a five mile radius of the crash were asked to remove themselves from immediate danger until weather conditions changed and there was no longer a concern.

    The mandatory evacuation order was lifted the next day, and Casselton residences were allowed to return to their homes.

    The Cass County Sheriff’s Office released a statement declaring, “The environment within the city limits of Casselton is now safe for residents to return to their homes.”

    A couple of the cars on the train were still burning when the order to evacuate was lifted, however there were no longer any fears of far-reaching consequences. Casselton Mayor Ed McConnell said that the fire was contained. Dr. Alan Nye, who is a toxicologist that was hired by BNSF Railway to test air quality said that there was no byproducts detected from the crude oil in the cars.

    This crash is said to be at least the fourth major explosive crash involving the transportation of crude oil. As investigations continue into this latest crash, there is a sense that lax safety standards are responsible. With more than two thirds of the state’s oil transformed by train and due to increase, there is concern that such crashes could increase. It is hoped these incidents will allow for a push towards better railway standards.

    Image via Hibou TV

  • Argentine Commuter Train Wrecks, 80 Injured

    A commuter train in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires has crashed at the end of the line at the Once station on Saturday, injuring at least 80 people.

    The station is the site of the 2012 Buenos Aires rail disaster, also known as the Once Tragedy, which occurred on February 22, 2012. Fifty-one people died in that crash, and 700 were injured.

    The train blew past buffers as it arrived at Once, shortly after 10 a.m. GMT, and ended up wedged between the floor and ceiling of the platform. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

    The line the train was on came from Moreno, which is roughly 25 miles west of Buenos Aires. The train is operated by a company called Sarmiento, and is typically a very busy and overcrowded commuter line.

    According to Security Secretary Sergio Berni, some commuters waiting on the platform were injured by flying glass from the train’s windows.

    Jorge Ramirez, a chef and train passenger, said, “I saw people hurt, shouting, others thrown on the floor. The people in the first wagon ended up piled on top of each other.”

    In related news, in late September, two Chicago Transit Authority trains wrecked into one another in Forest Park, crushing part of at least one train car and sending several people to local hospitals. The investigation into the cause of that accident is still underway.

    Earlier this month, a logging truck collided with a passenger train in West Virginia, killing one man, and injuring 20.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Train Crash In West Virginia Kills 1 and Injures Several

    A train crash in West Virginia on Friday, has left one man dead and over 20 other people injured. A logging truck collided with a passenger train, turning over two of the rail cars. Details about the cause of the crash were not available, as the accident is still being investigated.

    During the fall, the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad offer scenic tour rides through the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia. The Cheat Mountain Salamander, the train involved in the accident is just one of several tourist trains who are operated by the railroad. These tours last 6.5 hours and take passengers to elevations of more than 4,000 feet. The train travels about 25 mph.

    Amy Shuler Goodwin, spokeswoman for Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said the train had only been on its journey for about 50 minutes when the accident occurred. According to the Davis Memorial Hospital in Elkins, 24 patients were brought in on a school bus and treated for injuries. Of the 24 injured, three were admitted to the hospital, two in serious condition and one stable. The others were released after being given “comfort care.”

    “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those involved and the emergency responders working the tragic accident in Randolph County this afternoon,” Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin said in a statement.

    Route 250 over Cheat Mountain was closed after the accident and Department of Environmental Protection crews were on scene, cleaning up a large fuel spill left over from the accident. It was not known if the spill came from the logging truck or the train.

    Image from Review Journal.