Free riders panic over fire, fall off train

At least 16 people were injured after falling off the top of electric train cars in panic at about 8 a.m. on Monday as the train entered Senen station, Central Jakarta.

The injured were immediately rushed to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Salemba. Five had been discharged as of Monday afternoon, while the remainder stayed for intensive treatment.

Dozens of the free riders jumped off the Bekasi to Kota train as passengers jostled each other to avoid a fire that started on top of the cars, caused by friction from a damaged pantograph and the overhead cable at Senen station.

Most of the victims sustained injuries to their head, legs and arms after hitting the stone-covered track bed.

Four reportedly lost consciousness.

Spokesman of state railway operator PT KAI for Greater Jakarta Ahmad Sujadi said the company paid the hospital bills of the injured.

"The incident was caused by a technical problem ... it could have occurred at any time. There would have been no problem if passengers did not sit on the roof of train cars," he was quoted as saying by Detikcom news portal.

"We have tried to stop free riders by installing barbed wire on the top of cars and imposing sanctions against them, but these measures do not appear to have worked," Sujadi added. -- JP