Train collision kills 5, injures 20 in Burma

Tuesday, 09 March 2010 13:06 Myint Maung

New Delhi (Mizzima) – Five passengers were killed and 20 injured, when a local train was rammed in the rear by a speeding car train last Sunday near Burma’s ancient capital city of Mandalay.

The accident occurred at about 4 a.m. (local time) on Sunday, when a speeding car train running from Phyaw Bwe town station collided with a local train from Tharsi town that was heading towards Mandalay.

“A compartment of the local train was mangled and the car train was also damaged severely. Among the five who died instantly, were a train guard, his 13-year old son and a woman,” an eyewitness told Mizzima.

The eyewitness said, the car train coming from Phyaw Bwe station was travelling backwards without a pilot and rammed into the rear of the local train with tremendous force near the Han Zar station, about seven miles north of Tharsi station.

The injured were admitted to Tharsi hospital.

The car train, which was stopped in Phyaw Bwe station by the pilot for checking the engine, suddenly went into reverse gear and ran through Shan Ywa station, Nyaung Yan, Natoegyi, Ywa Pale and hit a ‘Hilux’ light truck near Tharsi station, according to eyewitnesses.

“The ‘Hilux’ was damaged in the front and was hurled off the road,” the eyewitness added.

Despite hitting the light truck, the train did not stop but continued to travel until it hit the local train near Tharsi station.