Train accident in India kills at least 12 after passengers leap onto tracks to escape rumored fire
A tragic incident unfolded in western India on Wednesday, resulting in the death of at least 12 train passengers and leaving six others injured. The passengers met a grim fate as they jumped out of their train cars in a state of panic, spurred by rumors of a fire on board, only to be struck by a passing train on an adjacent track.
According to a senior railway official speaking to the Press Trust of India, the chaos ensued when sparks were noticed inside one of the coaches of the train. This led some passengers to pull the emergency chain and make the split-second decision to jump down onto the tracks in a bid to escape the perceived danger. The accident took place near the Pardhade railroad station in Maharashtra State, approximately 255 miles northeast of Mumbai.
Reports indicate that the passengers were aboard the Pushpak Express train when the distressing chain of events unfolded. After the train came to a halt due to the emergency chain being pulled, those who disembarked found themselves in the path of another express train traveling on the adjacent track. The collision resulted in tragic consequences for the unsuspecting passengers.
The victims were promptly attended to and transported to Vrundavan Multispecialty Hospital for treatment. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the image of an injured man in a hospital bed, his head swathed in bandages, as he receives medical attention.
Despite the Indian government’s ongoing efforts to enhance rail safety, incidents like this serve as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with the country’s extensive railway network. With hundreds of accidents occurring annually on India’s railways, the need for continued vigilance and improvements in safety measures remains paramount.
In a harrowing incident in 2023, over 280 individuals lost their lives and hundreds more were injured when two passenger trains collided and derailed in eastern India. This catastrophic event stands as one of the deadliest rail accidents in the country in recent memory, prompting calls for heightened safety standards and infrastructure upgrades.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it a priority to modernize India’s aging railway system, a relic of British colonial rule, as the nation grapples with the challenges of managing the world’s largest train network amid a burgeoning population of 1.42 billion.
As the nation mourns the loss of lives in this tragic train accident, the imperative to bolster rail safety measures and infrastructure development remains a critical mission for safeguarding the well-being of passengers and preventing future tragedies on India’s railways.
