Two freight trains collide at Kotri

KARACHI-Several bogies of an oil supplying train overturned at Kotri Railway Station when it collided with another between Bholari and Kotri Railway stations on Thursday. 'The blocked Railway tracks were cleared after few hours for the traffic, said Kashif Rashid Yousufi, spokesman of Pakistan Railways Karachi Division while talking to The Nation. Giving details of the incident, Divisional Commercial Officer of the Railway Department Yousufi said that a goods train was stationary while another goods train coming from Karachi collided with it, causing overturning of 14 bogies. He said that due to the incident both the tracks were blocked for about six hours, but one down track was restored later after the removal of bogies from the track. The Railway officials further informed that several trains were five to six hours late and many passengers returned their tickets. On the other side, a Railway employee told that four bogies had been fully damaged, while some reports revealed that around 28 bogies overturned in the incident. Two persons were injured as oil from bogies spilled all over the area. The train drivers Shahid and a fireman Rashid sustained injuries in the incident and were taken to Taluka Hospital Kotri for immediate medical treatment. The incident took place at 1.30 pm, upon which the police and Rangers cordoned off the area while fire-brigade and Edhi ambulances immediately rushed to the site. The Railway officials informed that each bogie contained 49,000 litres of oil. Taking notice of the accident, Minister of State for Railways Jadam Mangrio has ordered GM and DS Railways for investigations as how both the trains reached the same track.

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