Updates and links to information, articles and photos from various sources including Netwerk24, Twitter, Facebook and EWN.
Summary: The derailed passenger train was pulled by one of the controversial new Afro4000 locomotives, with only 2600 kilometres on the clock and pulling 13 carriages at the time of the accident. Only the last 4 carriages remained on the tracks. The accident took place at about 23:30 last night (Tuesday, 18/08/2015) right next to the bridge over the Rietriver.
All patients taken to the Kimberley hospital have been released, except for one kept of further observation.
Eyewitness news reported that the accident might have been caused by construction work that was being done on the rail line. Apparently there was miscommunication between Transnet and the rail service.
Shosholoza Meyl’s Mtuthuzeli Swartz said investigations are underway. “We have about 60 passengers who were treated for shock and only four of them had some injuries. As a result, all passengers were discharged from hospital. The assistant driver is still in hospital.”
PHOTOS BY TIAAN OPPERMAN
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@Netwerk24Berig #prasa #transnet Prasa- Afro400 lokomotief ontspoor, Modderrivier.Dinsdag omstreeks 23:50 pic.twitter.com/BDRa5tgJEf
— charne kemp (@charnekemp) August 19, 2015
12 people were injured when a train partially derailed outside Kimberley early this morning. Pic: @ER24EMS #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/iScTfpaC0M — Jamaine Krige (@jour_maine) August 19, 2015
Foto’s van vanoggend se treinongeluk buite Kimberley (Foto’s: Emile Hendricks)
Posted by Noordkaap koerant on Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Original Article
Early this morning a passenger train en route from Johannesburg to Cape Town derailed close to Modderrivier Station and the Jacobsdal off ramp next to the N12.
Reports indicate that 12 people, including the train driver and co-driver, were taken to Kimberley Hospital for treatment.
About 120 passengers, which includes a foreign tour group, were transported to Kimberley for alternative transport arrangements.
No fatalities were reported.
