Six being questioned over train crash
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police are questioning six people -- including two train drivers -- over their roles in Thursday's crash that has claimed three lives and injured some 600 others.
The third crash victim Jani Astuti, 55, died on Friday, while police identified the two others as Mochtar, 65, and Nuryani, 43.
City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said the six workers questioned were PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) employees on duty in the train that crashed into the other, and a linesman. They included drivers, Acep Darma, 45, and Achmad Yani, 42, and linesman, Soma Winata.
"They have to explain what really happened since they were in charge of ensuring that there was no accident. They are still being treated as witnesses, but later on we may name some of them as suspects," Firman said.
Firman stressed, however, that the police had not yet decided whether the accident was caused by mechanical problems, faulty railway systems or human error.
"We will be able to determine the cause after questioning witnesses and checking all the train equipment and signals," he said.
The accident occurred in heavy rain at about 4:15 p.m. on Thursday afternoon when passenger train No. 583 rammed into another, train No. 585, in the Rawa Bambu area in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta.
Firman said the total number of people injured in the accident was around 600, higher than earlier estimates.
Hospital staff told The Jakarta Post that 59 people were taken to the Pasar Rebo Hospital in East Jakarta, and 14 to Siaga Hospital, 30 to Fatmawati Hospital, and 22 to Tria Dipa Hospital, all in South Jakarta.
"We have notified family members of the victims and helped bring victims to several hospitals. Many of them have already left," Firman said.
A preliminary investigation by the National Committee for Transportation Safety suggested that the driver of train No. 583 might have missed a red signal light and rammed into train No. 585, which had parked near Tanjung Barat Station to allow another train, the Pakuan Express, to fix its engine.
"We are still investigating why such a violation took place," committee chairman Setiyo Rahardjo said on Friday as quoted by Tempointeraktifcom.
Setiyo said the committee would complete its investigation within a week.
PT KAI spokesman A. Sujadi said it was possible that the bad weather at the time meant the driver of train 583 was unable to see the signal light warning him to stop.
"If a train stops, there should be a red light warning another train from behind to stop. But it was very dark because of the rain clouds."
The crash wrecked two carriages, took one line out of action and caused long traffic delays from Pancoran to Depok.