Two Trains Crash in Indonesia’s Capital, 14 Die, 84 Injured

Jakarta: Two trains collided with each other outside Indonesia's capital Jakarta and 14 people lost their lives in this accident. 84 more people are injured. Franoto Wibowo, a spokesman for the state-owned rail company KAI, said at the scene that 14 people had been confirmed dead in hospital records.

How did this accident happen?

A commuter train was stopped at Bekasi Timur station, 25 kilometers from Jakarta. Actually, a taxi had collided with it at the level crossing due to which it stood on the track. Just then a long-distance train came from behind and collided with its last compartment. That last compartment was only for women and the most damage occurred there.

What did the people sitting in the train see at that time?

29-year-old Sausan Sarifa was returning home from work on the same train. She is currently admitted to Bekasi Hospital with a broken arm and a deep thigh injury. She said that there was an announcement on the train, people got ready to get down, then suddenly there was a loud sound of the engine and everyone fell on each other. She said that she thought she would not survive now. Even today they don't know what happened to the people buried below.

What were the circumstances on the spot?

There was complete chaos at the station. There was a long queue of ambulances, rescue workers were asking for oxygen cylinders and hundreds of people were standing nervously outside. The injured were being lifted on stretchers and put in ambulances. There was such a crowd in the hospital that when 39-year-old Ava came to see her sister-in-law Fira, the doctor told her to be patient, the condition of many people is even more serious.

How far did the rescue work reach?

The army, fire department, Red Cross and National Rescue Agency are all working together. Trapped people are being rescued by cutting the coaches with heavy equipment. KAI spokesperson said that two people are still trapped alive in the debris and all efforts are underway to rescue them. About 240 passengers of the second train have been evacuated safely.

Has such an accident happened before?

Also in January 2024, four people lost their lives in a train accident in West Java, Indonesia. But this accident is much bigger than that. Once again the question is being raised: how does such a big lapse in railway safety happen and why do innocent people have to pay the price for it?