Goods Train Carrying Iron Ore Caused Huge Casualties In Odisha, Says Railways As Revised Death Toll At 275

The Railways board said that the goods train did not derail but since it was carrying iron ore, maximum damage of the impact was on Coromandel Express causing huge number of deaths and injuries

Restoration work underway at the end of rescue and search operation in Odisha's Balasore after triple train accident. ( Image Source :PTI )

The Railways board on Sunday said that the goods train that was involved in the Odisha triple train accident was carrying iron ore which led to the huge number of casualties and injuries. Jaya Varma Sinha, Member of Operation and Business Development, Railway Board said that the freight train did not derail but since it was carrying iron ore, the maximum impact was on Coromandel Express. Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said the revised death toll stood at 275 instead of 288. 

275 people were reported dead and over a thousand injured after three trains — Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express, SMVT Bengaluru–Howrah SF Express, and a freight train — collided after Coromandel Express derailed near Bahanaga railway station in Odisha’s Balasore district on Friday night. 

“The goods train did not get derailed. Since the goods train was carrying iron ores, the maximum damage of the impact was on Coromandel Express. This is the reason for a huge number of deaths and injuries. The derailed bogies of Coromandel Express came on the down line, and hit the last two bogies of Yeshwantpur Express which was crossing at the speed of 126 km/h from down line,” Sinha said in a Sunday press briefing. 

She added that issue with the signalling was identified as the cause of the accident as per the preliminary findings. 

“We are still waiting for the detailed report from the Commissioner of Railway Safety. Only Coromandel Express met with an accident. The train was at a speed of around 128 km/h,” she said. 

Sinha said that the loco pilot who sustained injuries in the accident has told that he did not jump any signal neither was he overspeeding.

"Safety is the top priority for Railways. We are making sure that the evidence does not get tampered & that any witness does not get affected. The driver of the train who sustained serious injuries said that the train moved forward only after it received a 'Green' signal. Neither did he jump any signal nor the train was overspeeding," the official said. 

Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena told news agency ANI that the revised death toll stood at 275, instead of 288, out of which 88 have been identified. 

“The death toll is 275 & not 288. The data was checked by the DM and it was found that some bodies have been counted twice, so the death toll has been revised to 275. Out of 275, 88 bodies have been identified,” he said. 

Out of 1,175 injured, 793 have been discharged after treatment, he added.