Death toll of train accident in S Pakistan rises to 50
Rail staff prepare to remove damaged carriages after a train derailed near Mehrabpur, 400 km (250 miles) from Karachi, Dec. 19, 2007. At least 50 people lost their lives in a train accident in Pakistan's southern Sindh province early Wednesday morning. (Xinhua Photo)
Traveling from southern port city of Karachi to eastern border city of Lahore, the train derailed near Mehrabpur railway station in district Naushehro Feroz of Sindh province at around 2:25 a.m. (2125 GMT Tuesday), local TV channel DAWN NEWS quoted chief controller of Railways as saying.
The chief controller of Railways confirmed that 15 out of 17 carriages of the train derailed and two of them were destroyed completely in the accident. However, some local media reported that 12 out of 16 coaches derailed in the accident.
Sources with two local hospitals in Mehrabpur and Kandiaro said that they had received 32 dead bodies and 120 injured people.
Bystanders and soldiers look at the carriages of a derailed train near Mehrabpur, about 400 km (250 miles) from Karachi Dec. 19, 2007. (Xinhua Photo)
Some security personnel have reached the site of the accident to assist the rescue team in the relief work. The rescuers have been cutting open the derailed carriages to help the passengers get out. There are still many passengers trapped in wreckage.
The figures of casualties in the accident are expected to rise.
Local media said that over speeding was the main cause of the accident.
Federal Minister for Railways, Mansoor Tariq expressed deep shock and sorrow over the tragic train accident and said that an investigation had been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident.