Six being questioned over train crash<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Police are questioning six people -- including two train drivers
\n-- over their roles in Thursday's crash that has claimed three
\nlives and injured some 600 others.<\/p>\n
The third crash victim Jani Astuti, 55, died on Friday, while
\npolice identified the two others as Mochtar, 65, and Nuryani, 43.<\/p>\n
City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said the six workers
\nquestioned were PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) employees on duty
\nin the train that crashed into the other, and a linesman. They
\nincluded drivers, Acep Darma, 45, and Achmad Yani, 42, and
\nlinesman, Soma Winata.<\/p>\n
"They have to explain what really happened since they were in
\ncharge of ensuring that there was no accident. They are still
\nbeing treated as witnesses, but later on we may name some of them
\nas suspects," Firman said.<\/p>\n
Firman stressed, however, that the police had not yet decided
\nwhether the accident was caused by mechanical problems, faulty
\nrailway systems or human error.<\/p>\n
"We will be able to determine the cause after questioning
\nwitnesses and checking all the train equipment and signals," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The accident occurred in heavy rain at about 4:15 p.m. on
\nThursday afternoon when passenger train No. 583 rammed into
\nanother, train No. 585, in the Rawa Bambu area in Pasar Minggu,
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Firman said the total number of people injured in the accident
\nwas around 600, higher than earlier estimates.<\/p>\n
Hospital staff told The Jakarta Post that 59 people were taken
\nto the Pasar Rebo Hospital in East Jakarta, and 14 to Siaga
\nHospital, 30 to Fatmawati Hospital, and 22 to Tria Dipa Hospital,
\nall in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"We have notified family members of the victims and helped
\nbring victims to several hospitals. Many of them have already
\nleft," Firman said.<\/p>\n
A preliminary investigation by the National Committee for
\nTransportation Safety suggested that the driver of train No. 583
\nmight have missed a red signal light and rammed into train No.
\n585, which had parked near Tanjung Barat Station to allow another
\ntrain, the Pakuan Express, to fix its engine.<\/p>\n
"We are still investigating why such a violation took place,"
\ncommittee chairman Setiyo Rahardjo said on Friday as quoted by
\nTempointeraktifcom.<\/p>\n
Setiyo said the committee would complete its investigation
\nwithin a week.<\/p>\n
PT KAI spokesman A. Sujadi said it was possible that the bad
\nweather at the time meant the driver of train 583 was unable to
\nsee the signal light warning him to stop.<\/p>\n
"If a train stops, there should be a red light warning another
\ntrain from behind to stop. But it was very dark because of the
\nrain clouds."<\/p>\n
The crash wrecked two carriages, took one line out of action
\nand caused long traffic delays from Pancoran to Depok.<\/p>",
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