Train collision at Kalutara: 42 hospitalised

Sandasen Marasinghe

KALUTARA: A powerset and another train collided yesterday at the Kalutara-South station around 7 p.m. causing injuries to around fifty commuters. Nagoda Police said that no deaths were reported. The Nagoda Police also said the cause of the accident was still not known but it was believed to have been caused due to a signal failure.

The Galle bound powerset arrived at Kalutara South station at 6.53 p.m. stopped at the station when the Matara bound train arrived at the station at 7.10 p.m. and had collided from the rear of the powerset. It was found that the Matara bound train had been sent along the same track where the powerset was halted.

A spokesperson from the Nagoda hospital said that 42 casualties were admitted to the hospital and four have been discharged. But none of them suffered severe injuries. A commuter, Kapila Wijesundara, a Lake House employee said eight compartments of the powerset had derailed except the engine. All the compartments were badly damaged. The Matara bound train suffered less damages.

Hundreds of commuters were affected without the transport due to the accident. Wijesundara said some of them even attempted to set the Matara-bound train on fire. However, the police took immediate action to prevent any untoward incident.

Transport Minister A.H.M. Fowzie told to the Daily News that he would appoint a one man commission today to investigate into the accident to find out if there were anybody who neglected the duties. Legal action would be taken against such employees.