Six being questioned over train crash

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.