A terrible accident of train derailment recently occurred in India, as roughly 300 people lost their lives while hundreds more got injured. An official now reveals that an electronic signaling system error is to blame for the accident, according to CBS News.
The incident took place in the Balasore district of Odisha and involved two passenger trains and a freight train. The collision was caused by a mistaken track change due to the error, leading to a catastrophic pileup. Rescue efforts of authorities were initiated, but the death toll reached 275 souls.
According to preliminary investigations, the electronic signaling system malfunctioned, which caused a signal change that diverted the high-speed Coromandel Express into the wrong track, where it collided with a freight train. Both trains derailed because of the impact.
Manto Kumar, a restaurant worker, stated for CNN while speaking from a hospital located in the eastern Odisha state of India:
Suddenly something crashed into us. Some of the coaches rolled to the other side,
I got up and wrapped my shirt around my bleeding head. Then, I started looking for my friends. Everyone was shouting ‘save us… save us.’
A teenager in Balasore was one of the survivors who arrived at the Government Medical College in order to receive treatment, and he said, as CNN also quotes:
People who were alive were shouting for help, praying to god,
Rescue teams were doing their best to save people. A lot of people were crying.
The aftermath of the tragedy saw the diligent work of railway workers to repair the tracks and clear the wreckage. Survivors recounted their harrowing experiences, and families anxiously searched for their loved ones. The incident drew attention to the ongoing efforts to modernize India’s railway network and improve safety measures. Despite these initiatives, accidents continue to happen due to factors like human error and outdated equipment.
