55 Dead, Over 500 Injured as Train Derails Off Track in Cameroon (Photos)

A train derailed in Cameroon on Friday reportedly killing about 55 people and injuring about 575 people who were on board and 14 trapped in the carriages.

According to local media, the accident occured in Eseka on the line between the country’s main cities, Douala and the capital, Yaounde. The train was said to be packed.
 

Pictures circulating on social media showed that the derailed train had overturned near the tracks. Dead bodies and injured persons were also at the scene of the accident. The state owned CRTV showed people giving injured persons first aid.

“There are many injured. We are still in the phase of evaluating the situation. We cannot give even a provisional toll,” said an official for national rail company Camrail, who asked not to be named.

A local hospital official also confirmed that 10 corpses were brought in from the accident scene. Local journalists confirmed that the train was very packed at the time of the accident.

The French ambassador to Cameroon, Gilles Thibault, tweeted a condolence message to the families and victime of the crash. ‘‘I present condolences saddened families and loved ones of the victims of the crash of the Yaoundé – Douala.’‘

 

 

Rail is one of the key modes of transport in the country. It serves in transporting both people and goods. Due to the speed of rail, people usually cram unto coaches to get to their destinations.

The rail company had earlier denied via its facebook page that there was an accident. They later confirmed the incident and said they were working to provide official details of the incident.

 

Source: Africanews