Six people were killed when a container lorry that had defied a crossing signal slammed into a Dhaka-bound train at the Kamalapur Railway Station container depot, causing the train to derail yesterday.
The accident near Dhaka’s main railway station left 11 people severely injured.
Kamalapur Railway police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Majid told the Dhaka Tribune: “The 219 Narayanganj Local, packed with passengers, was travelling inbound from Narayanganj and was about to reach Kamalapur Railway Station when it was rammed by a container lorry at the container depot gate after the van ignored the Ansar member’s signal and drove across the railway-crossing.
“The incoming train was overloaded with passengers – they were riding on the roof, along its sides, and on the engine railings.
“The van hit the train at speed and caused a carriage to derail. Two were killed on the spot. The driver has fled. We suspect that a helper was driving the van. Ten or twelve people injured in the crash have been sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment.”
According to the Inland Container Depot (ICD) security register, the van, belonging to NS Cargo Ltd, entered the container depot around 12:40pm. The register shows the vehicle was signed in to the depot by driver Md Rahmat and helper Ripon.
ICD Security In-Charge Fazlul told the Dhaka Tribune: “The van had entered the container depot to load goods.”
The DMCH emergency unit physician, Dr Riaz Morshed, said: “Two people were killed on the spot and four others succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Most of the injured are being treated for broken bones. They are being kept in observation rooms 101 and 102.”
Four of the deceased have been identified as Mojibur Rahman, 55, Naimul Islam, 16, Ismail Hossain, 35, and Md Alamgir, 50.
“The two others have not been identified as yet,” Dr Riaz said, adding: “One is a 25-year-old woman.”
Railway Minister Mujibul Hoque visited the accident site and told reporters: “Either the driver lost control or made a mistake while driving.”
He said a three-member probe committee had already been formed with Bangladesh Railway Divisional Communication Officer Nazmul Hasan as its chief. He said the committee had been asked to submit its report within three days.
Kamalapur Railway police station OC Majid said a case, accusing only the driver, had been filed with Kamalapur Railway police by Railway Assistant Engineer Abdul Matin.
Several eyewitnesses told the Dhaka Tribune that the van was approaching from the east while the train was traveling north towards the Kamalapur Railway Station.
“The driver, the only one inside the van, did not follow the Ansar member’s signal and attempted to cross the tracks. The van crashed into the train’s engine and flipped over. The train dragged the van some 50 yards from the container gate damaging the engine and the first carriage, and causing it to derail,” an eyewitness, CNF agency employee, Md Azad, told the Dhaka Tribune.
The container lorries cabin was crushed and its chassis was severely damaged. The train’s engine was damaged and one side of the first carriage was crushed.
According to eyewitnesses, the first carriage of the train was carrying 70 or 80 passengers.
Several Railway rescue team members said the van had flipped because it was empty when it collided with the train.
Ansar member, Hannan, told the Dhaka Tribune at the DMCH: “The driver did not pay heed to my whistle and crossed the tracks. My colleague Mizanur Rahman was severely injured.”
The injured were identified as Babul Hossain, 40, Mostafa Pradhan, 40, Billal, 30, Jindar Molla, 40, Majib, 34, Alamgir, 32, Zaved Ali, 35, Harun-ur-Rashid, 35, Kamal, 32, and Suman, 35.
The railway minister also visited the DMCH and provided Tk20,000 to some of the injured, including Ansar members Mizanur, Zindar and Molla, rickshaw-puller Zaved Ali and workshop worker Harun-ur-Rashid.
He said: “We will soon ask all the victims and injured to come to the ministry and will provide them with a handsome compensation. We have already asked the DMCH to make every effort to treat the injured.”
Container Depot In-charge Abdul Karim said: “There is no previous record of an accident like this. A bamboo level-crossing has been installed to avoid further accidents of this nature.”
The accident caused Narayanganj – Dhaka railway services to be suspended for some time but railway officials said they would resume by evening.
