Incident Report Subject: INDONESIA - At least Five Dead after Train Collides with Fuel Tanker in Jakarta Date of Email report: Tue 10/12/2013 Report Detail:
A commuter train has collided with a fuel tanker at a railway crossing in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, killing at least five people and injuring 80 others. The train's front carriage and the vehicle flipped onto their sides following the crash and burst into flames, sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky as passengers jumped off the train and fled. "The first and last carriages on this train were for women only, so it was the first carriage that collided with the truck," said Sukendar Mulya, a spokesman for state-owned train company Kereta Api Indonesia. The truck accelerated and drove onto the tracks just as the safety gate was coming down to halt traffic and allow the train to pass, Mr Mulya added. The train company estimates about 600 passengers were on the train when it slammed into the truck in the city's south-eastern fringe. Forty-year-old Ira, who goes by one name, was in the women's carriage when it hit the truck. "I felt the strong crash and panicked, so I forced my way out a window and just ran," Ira told AFP as she broke down in tears. "I was outside when I heard an explosion... and saw the truck and carriage on fire." Jakarta deputy police chief Sujarno confirmed that five people were killed but other passengers were safely evacuated. "There were also young children hospitalised with injuries," he said. Transport ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan earlier confirmed the train driver was among the dead. A list displayed near the crash site showed more than 80 people had been taken to hospital. Mr Mulya said the tanker was owned by state-owned company Pertamina, and the firm had been assisting with the emergency evacuation. Train accidents, especially at crossings, are common on Indonesia's ageing and poorly maintained railroad network Additional Documentation:
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