Blambangan Express Train Struck by Truck in Probolinggo
Blambangan Express Train Struck by Truck at Probolinggo
The journey of train number 147, Blambangan Ekspres, on the Surabaya Pasar Turi – Ketapang route, was reportedly struck by a truck at a level crossing in Probolinggo Regency, East Java, in the early hours of Friday, 6 March.
Cahyo Widiantoro, Head of Legal and Public Relations for KAI Daop 9 Jember, said the incident occurred at 00:49 local time at kilometre 109+860, specifically at JPL 13, which is an officially guarded crossing.
‘As a result of the incident, the locomotive CC 201 83 53 that was pulling the Blambangan Ekspres was damaged, so the train could not proceed immediately,’ Cahyo said on Friday.
After the incident, the operations team promptly reversed the train consist toward Probolinggo Station using a helper locomotive. Cahyo confirmed there were no fatalities.
To minimise delays, KAI also decided to re-route all passengers to another train already in service.
‘Passenger safety is KAI’s top priority. All passengers of the Blambangan Ekspres are safe, and their journey will continue using the Wijaya Kusuma service toward Ketapang,’ he said.
KAI also offered service recovery for passengers affected by delays of more than 60 minutes as part of its service accountability.
The accident, he added, affected the departure and arrival schedules of several other trains in Daop 9 Jember.
KAI reminded the public to comply with Law Number 22 of 2009 on Traffic and Road Transport, in particular Article 114, which obliges road users to yield to trains.
‘We remind all road users not to rush when crossing level crossings and to always prioritise safety. The crossing gates are not the primary safety device nor traffic signs; they are aids to safeguarding railway travel,’ he said.
He stressed that safety at level crossings is a shared responsibility. Road users are asked to stop briefly and ensure the situation is safe before crossing the tracks.
‘Safety at level crossings is a shared responsibility. Compliance with traffic rules is crucial to prevent accidents and to safeguard both railway travel and road users,’ he said.
Regarding the cause of the accident, the police are currently conducting a thorough investigation.