The horrific train crash happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district The horrific train crash happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district The horrific train crash happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district The 12841 Shalimar-Coromandel Express collided with a goods train on Friday evening around 7 pm, killing over 200 and injuring around 900 people, at Bahanaga Bazar station in the Balasore district of Odisha. Till 8.00 am on Saturday, the death toll in the train accident has sharply risen to 280 and the number of injured is now at 900.
According to the initial details, 10-12 coaches of the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express derailed and fell on an adjacent track on Friday night, which was the path of another train that was coming from Yeswanthpur to Howrah.
Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma said the accident took place at around 7 pm on Friday. As per the details, Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express was on its way to Howrah when several coaches derailed and fell on the adjacent tracks.
Following this, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, which was going to Chennai, collided with the derailed coaches of the Howrah-bound train.
The derailed coaches of the Coromandel Express then hit the wagons of a goods train.
Officials said Bengaluru-Howrah superfast, which was on the down line derailed at 6.55 pm, and Coromandel on the up line derailed at 7 pm.
“Around 7 pm, 10-12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Bahanaga Bazar station and fell on the opposite track. After some time, another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah dashed into those derailed coaches resulting in the derailment of its 3-4 coaches," Sharma said on Friday.
Following the accident, rescue operations were started. Rescuers worked overnight to pull out the passengers from the debries of the three trains that derailed one on top of another.
State officials said 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units were rushed to the accident site, besides 1,200 personnel. The bodies were being taken to the hospitals.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday too expressed his distress over the accident, and announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM's National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Top 10 developments since last night
1. In one of the worst railway disasters in India, more than 280 people were killed and over 900 injured when three trains collided one after another in Odisha's Balasore district.
2. The train crash happened near the Bahanaga Baazar station in Balasore district, about 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar, around 7 pm on Friday, prompting the railway ministry to order a probe.
3. CM Naveen Patnaik, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and other senior administrative and police officials visited the accident site on Saturday to review the situation.
4. The inquiry into the train accident will be led by AM Chowdhary, Commissioner Railway Safety, South East Circle.
5. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik declared one-day state mourning on Saturday in the wake of the deadly triple train crash.
6. State Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo said those injured in the accident were undergoing treatment in different hospitals. All government and private hospitals have been put on alert in the nearby districts, including the AIIMS at Bhubaneswar.
7. Air Force was also called in for the rescue operations. Indian Army personnel are also present at the site.
8. Officials in Bhubaneswar said 200 ambulances, 50 buses and 45 mobile health units were working at the accident site, besides 1,200 personnel. The bodies were being taken to the hospitals in all kinds of vehicles, including tractors.
9. 9 NDRF, 5 ODRAF and 24 fire service units, local police, and volunteers are working tirelessly in search and rescue.
10. The Ministry of Railways issued a list of helpline numbers in the wake of the tragic accident in Odisha.
(With inputs from RITTICK MONDAL, INDRO, SATYAJEET, ANIRBAN)