New Delhi: A major accident involving three trains – two passenger and one freight – happened in Odisha on Friday, May 02.The collision has left at least 233 dead and nearly 900 injured. The toll could go up as bodies were still being recovered while the Odisha government ordered a state mourning on Saturday cancelling all events. The deadly crash involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train occurred around 7 pm on Friday.
The accident happened when a passenger train hit the derailed coaches of another train near Bahanaga Bazar station in Balasore followed by a collision with a goods train causing a crash of several coaches.
How Did The Triple Train Accident Take Place?
- According to officials, the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express departed from Shalimar station at 3:20 pm and arrived in Balasore at 6:30 pm. Around 10 to 12 coaches of the train derailed near Baleswar and toppled onto the opposite track at approximately 7:20 pm.
- At 6:55 pm, the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah superfast express, travelling on the down line, rammed into the derailed coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express. Three to four coaches of this train were involved in the accident.
- Subsequently, in a distressing sequence of events, some of the derailed coaches from the initial collision were struck by the wagons of a goods train.
- Another version says that several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah train travelling to Howrah derailed at Bahanaga Baazar, near Balasore and fell on adjacent tracks.
- “These derailed coaches collided with 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and its coaches capsized too,” a senior official told PTI. A goods train was also involved in the accident as the coaches of the Coromandel Express hit its wagons after getting derailed, the official added.
- These three accidents took place near the Bahanga Baazar station in the Balasore district, 250km south of Kolkata and 170km north of Bhubaneswar.
What we know so far
- Chief minister Naveen Patnaik declared a day of mourning on Saturday saying that no state celebrations would be held in the wake of the horrific train derailment.
- The CM reviewed the rescue operations at Control Room, SRC, Bhubaneswar and ordered free medical treatment to all the injured.
- Collectors, SP and officers of the district administrations of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendujhar have also been asked to supervise the operation.
- Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has ordered a high-level probe to determine the cause of the accident.
- According to an official, quoted by PTI, several coaches of the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express derailed and fell on adjacent tracks. These coaches collided with the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and its coaches capsized too. Some coaches of the Coromandel Express, heading to Chennai, also hit the wagons of a goods train.
- In a tweet, chief secretary Pradeep Jena said. “Five hundred units of blood collected overnight here at Balasore. Nine hundred units in stock at present. This will help in treating the accident victims,”
- Odisha’s director general, fire services, Sudhanshu Sarangi, on Saturday said that the toll was likely to go up. Speaking to news agency ANI, Sarangi said, “We have deployed 14 teams at the spot. More than 400 injured people have already been evacuated to different hospitals.”
- Four units of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), three units of National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), over 200 ambulances and 22 Fire Services personnel have been deployed for the rescue operations.
- According to a press release issued by the South Eastern Railways, more than 20 train services on Saturday were cancelled due to the incident.
- The Odisha government has issued a helpline number – 06782-262286. Check the full list of helpline numbers issued.
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