Four killed and 37 injured in head-on train crash

Four killed and 37 injured in head-on train crash

TANGERANG, West Java (JP): A speeding train on the Jakarta-
Merak line collided head-on with another train on Monday morning,
killing at least four passengers and injuring 37 others.

The collision of the two diesel-powered trains, Langsam and
Patas Merak, occurred at 9:15 a.m. on a single line track at the
Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) housing complex, between Sudimara and
Serpong stations.

One of the fatalities, identified as becak (pedicab) driver
Sumarno, 35, was decapitated when he was caught between the
fractured parts of the trains.

Officials from state railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia
(KAI) said the accident was still under police investigation.

But other officials, including Director General of Land
Transportation Santo Budiono and spokesman for KAI's greater
Jakarta area Zainal Abidin, concluded that the collision between
the two trains was mainly caused by mechanical failure.

"The train signals used by dispatchers to inform drivers to
stop were damaged and not working.

"The central traffic control (CTC) system at the railway
firm's office in Manggarai, South Jakarta, which usually takes
over the work automatically was also broken," Santo told
reporters at the accident site.

Separately, head of PT KAI's intercity trains Whosep Muktamar
said the CTC system was under repair after being struck by
lightning on Friday.

The damaged master communication control device also
caused the failure of all communication devices at all stations
and train telephones in Jakarta," said Whosep.

"After it was struck by the lightning, all computer monitor
displays at railway stations also were down. So, the
stationmasters here were not able to contact passing train
drivers," he explained.

He said that since Friday night's damage, train drivers and
stationmasters had been using walkie-talkies for train
operations.

It is hoped that the repair of the equipment will be completed
on Wednesday.

The failure of the CTC system at Manggarai was also blamed as
the main cause of an accident last Friday between a Jabotabek
commuter train and a Pakuan Express train in which at least 24
people were injured.

According to Zainal, who rushed to the Serpong site on Monday,
the train dispatcher at Serpong Station, Dedy Supriadi, initially
sent a signal of confirmation to the Langsam train to proceed.

"Since there was no reply from Serpong, the dispatcher
permitted the Patas Merak train to continue for Merak ... and the
accident happened," he said.

The dead and wounded victims were admitted to three hospitals:
the nearby BSD Clinic, Asshobirin Hospital and Tangerang General
Hospital.

Medical staff at Asshobirin Hospital identified the dead
victims as Sumarno, Mohamad Sobari, Maman and 19-year-old student
Marsan Hengki.

Shortly after the accident was reported by radio and
television stations, hundreds of people flocked to the two
hospitals looking for their relatives.

Passenger Sofyan, 14, who suffered a bone fracture to one of
his hands and back wounds, recalled that a few seconds before the
crash, he saw passengers sitting on the roof of the train hastily
jump to the ground.

"I thought at first there was a brawl ahead of us because that
used to happen here. But suddenly I heard a big bang ... and I
was thrown to the door were I lay beneath three unconscious
passengers," Sofyan said.

Another passenger of the train heading from Merak, Jackson,
said he saw no officers at Serpong Station "give any kind of
usual signs" that another train was heading toward them.

"Our train stopped at Serpong Station. We saw the dispatcher
talking with some of the station officers, who said that our
train could just go ahead," Jackson told reporters.

"When the train was moving at full speed, some of us saw a
station officer running toward our train with a stop sign,
screaming something. But the train was already moving, and we
didn't understand what he was screaming about."

Separately, passengers on the other train recalled that their
train had signaled with its lights for the other train to stop.

"When we saw the (Merak-Jakarta) train coming, we just jumped
off the train ... all of us. Our train put its brakes on and
stopped. The train from Merak just kept coming and smashed into
us," a passenger, who requested anonymity said.

Both trains had at least seven cars each. While the train from
Jakarta was almost empty, the Merak train was so full that
several passengers were standing in its doors.

It took the police some 20 minutes to pry apart metal which
was trapping the bloodied bodies of three passengers from both
sides. (41/ylt/25/edt/asa)