13 killed, dozens injured in Batang train collision
13 killed, dozens injured in Batang train collision
SEMARANG (JP): At least 16 people were killed and dozens
injured on Sunday when an economy-class train smashed into a
freight train in Batang regency, about 100 kilometers west of
here.
Police said the collision, which involved the Semarang-bound
Tawangjaya II, happened at around 6:30 a.m. in Ketanggan village,
Grinsing district, located between Pelabuhan and Krengseng
railway stations.
Deputy chief of the traffic accident unit at Batang Police
Station, Sgt. Maj. Haryo Diko Dewo, told The Jakarta Post that
only five fatalities had been identified: Budisantosa, Rabun,
Wonojoyo, Sugiyanto and Solikah.
All the victims were taken to nearby hospitals, including
Montongsari Hospital in Waleri, Kendal General Hospital, Kendal
Islamic Hospital, Pekalongan General Hospital and Semarang
Kariadi General Hospital.
As of 7 p.m. local time, rescue workers, police and local
people were still trying to free trapped passengers.
A tow train had arrived from Surabaya and was trying to clear
the lines.
"We're still searching for more victims among the train
debris. Delays have been unavoidable," Haryo said.
State railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI)
shuttled executive passengers on the Jakarta-bound Kamandanu and
Senja Utama Semarang trains by bus to the neighboring town of
Pekalongan, where other trains were waiting.
Details on the number of passengers onboard the trains were
not immediately available, but it was reported that the
Tawangjaya II, which was traveling from Jakarta, was packed.
The passenger train comprised five cars, while the freight
train was made up of eight wagons.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the Pelabuhan train
station attendant signaled the Tawangjaya II to leave the station
too early, Haryo said.
"It was this decision that most probably resulted in the head-
on crash. But investigations are still underway," Haryo said,
adding that Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Kadaryanto
arrived at the scene of the accident at around 2:30 p.m.
In Jakarta, PT KAI spokesman Zainal Abidin said workers
expected to have cleared the wrecked trains from the line by 10
p.m.
Meanwhile, Antara reported that the accident delayed by
several hours the schedules of three trains, namely the
executive-class Argo Bromo and super executive-class Argo Bromo
Anggrek serving the Jakarta - Surabaya route, and the Senja Utama
Semarang. These trains would depart only after midnight.
Zainal said that other trains heading for Jakarta on Sunday
would not be much affected.
"They will probably experience delays of between five to eight
hours at the most. On Monday we hope everything is back to
normal," Zainal said.
Sunday's crash was the second most deadly train accident this
year.
On Jan. 13, 12 people sitting on top of an electric train
plying between Bogor and Sukabumi died and 10 others were injured
after they hit a bridge in Paledang near Bogor, West Java.
A series of train accidents followed, most of them caused by
human error. On Aug. 19, a collision between a freight train and
a passenger train plying the Jakarta-Tangerang route in
Pademangan, North Jakarta, left three passengers dead and 10
others injured. (har/edt)