12 killed as train rams minivan in Tegal

Nana Rukmana and Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon/Semarang

Twelve people were killed and another severely injured on Saturday when an executive class train smashed into a Toyota Kijang in Tegal municipality, Central Java.

All of the victims were members of an extended family, and were on their way home from attending a graduation ceremony at a nursing college in Tegal for Triana Sari, 22.

The fatal crash occurred when Sobirin, who was driving the minivan, was passing a railway crossing in Padaarja subdistrict that did not have a safety bar.

He apparently did not notice that a Kamandanu executive train was approaching on its way east to Semarang from Jakarta, said Tegal Police traffic chief Adj. Comr. Yudi Irawan.

Sukarno, a local resident who witnessed the accident, said he screamed at the driver, trying to warn him of the fast- approaching train, but Sobirin drove on.

The train crashed into the minivan, dragging it dozens of meters before coming to a stop.

Twelve people died immediately, and the sole survivor, Triana, suffered massive injuries. She is receiving treatment at Tegal's Texin Hospital, and at the time of print, her condition was unknown.

The 12 fatalities are: Suhami, 60, Sobirin, 50, Rosida, 45, Rofi'ah, 40, Nurhayati, 35, Mamiek, 27, Siti Barkah, 21, Umaroh, 20, Wiwin, 18, Aziz, 15, Handoko, 3, and Umi, 2.

It is not known whether police officers questioned the train driver in connection with the accident, but the Kamandanu continued its journey afterward, stopping at Tegal's Larangan station and arriving at Semarang's Tawang station only 45 minutes behind schedule.

The accident did not disrupt train travel along the northern Java coast, said Tawang station master Purwanto.

Four days ago, 16 were killed and 11 others injured -- all victims also from an extended family -- when a bus crashed into a pickup truck in Batang regency, some 150 kilometers from Tegal.