375:. The locomotive and 12 carriages of the train were derailed; seven carriages caught fire. Overhead electrical wires had snapped during the collision, causing the fire. The first responders were local farmers and farm workers who rushed to the collision site with fire-fighting equipment and began pulling people out of the burning carriages. Eyewitness and farmer Willie du Preez, said that the fire began ten minutes after the collision, with the first flames behind the locomotive which spread towards the derailed carriages and trapped passengers. 21 people were killed and 254 were injured. At around 20:50 local time, the
121:
455:
locomotive and ten of 19 coaches derailed. After a few minutes the fires started on five coaches. The fire was caused by the arcing of snapped 3 kV DC electrical cables which failed to switch off or trip after the crash with the heat igniting the exterior and interiors of each coach individually with the fire not spreading to each one. The train crash killed 24 passengers with 240 injuries. There was said to be 547 people on-board and the train's capacity was 640 people.
471:
101:
25:
128:
485:
450:
The South
African Railway Safety Regulator convened a Board of Inquiry to investigate the collision and released a report in October 2018. The Board concluded that the cause of the crash was the failure of the truck driver to stop as required by the signage. The crash occurred at 08h58 with the train
404:
Farmer Willie du Preez said that the road to the level crossing follows the railway line before making a 90-degree turn to the crossing. He claimed that there is a blind spot which prevents one, for a moment, from seeing on-coming trains as well as potholes in the road that slow vehicles speeds at
437:
In a preliminary finding, the RSR's investigation of the train's speed indicates that it was travelling at 78 km/h when it struck the truck on a 90 km/h track. Only four of the passengers killed in the collision are recognisable but still remain unidentified. Two of the victim's gender
360:
Witnesses stated that the truck failed to stop at the level crossing, despite the train driver giving warning by blowing the horn. The truck, along with its two trailers, was dragged for around 400 metres (1,300 ft), and a car being transported on the train was also crushed by the derailed
454:
The truck driver had not stopped as obliged, ignoring the advanced warning signs and a stop sign and was not compromised by poor visibility. On seeing the truck, the train driver had sounded his whistle 400 metres from the impact area but the truck continued to advance across the crossing. The
458:
The locomotive and coaches of the train were deemed to be roadworthy. Poor window and door design compromised escape from the coaches, with the windows too narrow to escape and the doors too heavy to open and no emergency exits. The vinyl seats and exterior of the train were not entirely fire
433:
The driver described, when seeing the truck on the crossing, how he tooted the train's horn and applied the brakes with a realisation he and his assistant could do nothing as they were trapped in the cabin. The driver and his female assistant were both badly bruised and suffered neck and head
459:
resistant. There were inadequate number of fire extinguishers. The crew had not received safety training for these types of events and passengers received no emergency information prior to travel. The same level crossing was a scene of a train and truck collision on 26 September 2014.
441:
On 26 January 2018, PRASA announced that the DNA testing of the remains were completed and the results would be made known to the relatives of the victims at a gathering at the
Virginia Council Chambers, Free State. PRASA would also be providing government assistance for burials.
391:
Police spokesperson
Brigadier Sam Makhele said he believed all human remains had been recovered from the carriages by the afternoon of 5 January, and that forensic workers believed they had recovered the remains of 19 people. Heavy recovery equipment was brought in by
382:
The truck driver survived the collision and tried to flee the scene but was arrested and taken to a hospital. Police opened a manslaughter case against the driver. The driver of the truck tested negative for alcohol at a police station.
430:(RSR) is responsible for investigating railway accidents in South Africa. The owner of the articulated tipper truck, Cordene Trading, expressed the firm's condolences to the victims and their families through the company's lawyer.
451:
travelling at 78 km/h at the time of the crash, hitting the second and last trailer of the truck with data indicating the train was not braking prior to the collision and dragged the trailer 140 metres.
438:
cannot be identified at this time while the other victims are four girls, eight men and five women. The other 15 will be identified by means of DNA testing, with the results to be made known by 19 February.
426:
Joe
Maswanganyi announced that an investigation would be launched. Maswanganyi also said that "Police are investigating. The truck driver was taking chances... that cost lots of lives." The
850:
396:
Rail, two days after the collision, to remove the debris from the crash site so that the railway line could be repaired and reopened. On 7 January, the train line was reopened to traffic.
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as to whether the train was speeding, as one passenger claimed he had joined the train when it was two hours late, but that the train had regained an hour at the time of the collision.
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599:"Frantic search for survivors after South African passenger train collides with truck, killing at least 18 and injuring hundreds"
543:
325:. The train derailed, and seven of the twelve carriages caught fire. Twenty-one people were killed and 254 others were injured.
1347:
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the crossing. He stated his belief that the truck's cab and first trailer had crossed and the train struck the second trailer.
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42:
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when it collided with a truck on the Geneva
Station level crossing, around 200 kilometres (120 mi) south-west of
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851:"Kroonstad crash death toll rises to 21 after burnt bodies of 2 children found in mom's arms during autopsy"
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du Toit, Elsje; Sonnekus, Simon; Bruwer, Ruan (10 January 2018). "'Net God se genade' – drywer".
503:
979:
Bruwer, Ruan (8 January 2018). "Treinramp: Moeilike taak begin vandag om 19 te identifiseer".
318:
169:
961:
van der Walt, Alet (6 January 2018). "Boer sê oor blinde kol en vol gate by spooroorgang".
834:
van der Walt, Alet (6 January 2018). "Getraumatiseerde werkerskno na treinramp nie slaap".
603:
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8:
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54:
1266:
376:
50:
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631:"Railway Safety Regulator to release preliminary train crash findings on Monday"
740:"3 children, pregnant woman among those recovering after Kroonstad train crash"
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226:
1331:
998:
490:
196:
183:
354:
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322:
230:
216:
1023:
Bruwer, Ruan (13 January 2018). "Geen treinslagoffers nog uitgeken".
819:
Cowan, Kyle (7 January 2018). "Screams of the dying haunt rescuers".
410:
408:
As of 6 January 2018, PRASA had not responded to a question from the
314:
310:
165:
1164:
1104:"Geneva Station Level Crossing Collision Board of Inquiry Report"
763:"At least 12 dead after train crashes into lorry in South Africa"
572:"At least 20 dead in horror train crash' number expected to rise"
372:
106:
789:"Mop-up operations to resume after deadly Kroonstad train crash"
685:"Sanco slams 'shocking' loss of life in Free State train crash"
334:
100:
887:"Kroonstad train crash: Search and Rescue operations halted"
865:"Train and truck collision death-toll now at 19 #TrainCrash"
544:"14 dead and up to 100 injured in South Africa train crash"
484:
338:
714:"South Africa train crash: Four dead in truck collision"
127:
16:
2018 rail transit disaster in Free State, South Africa
934:
1222:
Cayce, South
Carolina train collision, United States
466:
341:) on 4 January 2018, a passenger train, operated by
301:On 4 January 2018, a passenger train operated by
109:locomotive similar to that involved in the crash.
1329:
915:"Police open a manslaughter case against driver"
345:, carrying 429 passengers, was travelling from
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708:
706:
657:"Au moins 14 morts dans un accident de train"
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833:
1213:Crozet, Virginia train crash, United States
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1016:
997:. Railway Safety Regulator. Archived from
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1240:Lewisham train strandings, United Kingdom
1036:
1034:
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135:Location of the collision in South Africa
77:Learn how and when to remove this message
1358:Level crossing incidents in South Africa
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849:Chabalala, Jeanette (19 January 2018).
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1368:Transport in the Free State (province)
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1031:
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978:
791:. eNews Channel Africa. Archived from
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818:
386:
364:The locomotive hauling the train was
1063:
807:
18:
1353:January 2018 events in South Africa
1276:Bouknadel train derailment, Morocco
1231:Niklasdorf train collision, Austria
1195:Kroonstad train crash, South Africa
987:
13:
917:. Stuff (Fairfax). 6 January 2018.
761:Nagesh, Ashitha (4 January 2018).
519:List of rail accidents (2010–2019)
14:
1384:
1303:Marşandiz train collision, Turkey
1204:Pioltello train derailment, Italy
1041:"Train crash: test results out".
514:List of level crossing accidents
483:
469:
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164:20 km (12 mi) SW from
126:
119:
23:
1167:Railway accidents and incidents
907:
879:
445:
94:Hennenman–Kroonstad train crash
45:; articles on events that lack
1373:2018 disasters in South Africa
1294:Yilan train derailment, Taiwan
1285:Amritsar train disaster, India
1267:Oss rail accident, Netherlands
1258:Çorlu train derailment, Turkey
732:
677:
649:
623:
499:Rail transport in South Africa
399:
1:
1348:2018 road incidents in Africa
570:Mazuba, Ernest; Cowan, Kyle.
524:
867:. Cape Times. 7 January 2018
34:may be excessively based on
7:
821:Sunday Times (South Africa)
665:(in French). 4 January 2018
462:
328:
305:collided with a truck at a
10:
1389:
1043:The Citizen (South Africa)
995:"Occurrence Investigation"
369:diesel-electric locomotive
309:at Geneva Station between
1363:Railway accidents in 2018
1312:
1249:Tokaido Shinkansen, Japan
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1111:Railway Safety Regulator
1025:Volksblad (South Africa)
981:Volksblad (South Africa)
963:Volksblad (South Africa)
937:Volksblad (South Africa)
836:Volksblad (South Africa)
742:. News24. 5 January 2018
428:Railway Safety Regulator
371:No. 3018, owned by
250:Level crossing collision
1319:2019 ►
1315:◄ 2017
1045:. ANA. 27 January 2018.
769:. Associated Newspapers
1055:: CS1 maint: others (
504:2018 in rail transport
36:contemporary reporting
1338:2010s fires in Africa
424:Minister of Transport
197:27.82194°S 27.13444°E
604:Agence France-Presse
509:2018 in South Africa
617:The Daily Telegraph
477:South Africa portal
258:Under investigation
202:-27.82194; 27.13444
193: /
1120:on 14 January 2019
542:Culbertson, Alix.
387:Recovery operation
1325:
1324:
1001:on 5 January 2018
377:search and rescue
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43:secondary sources
41:Please use newer
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1113:. Archived from
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795:on 16 July 2018
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422:South Africa's
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343:Shosholoza Meyl
333:At about 09:15
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303:Shosholoza Meyl
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32:This article
30:
21:
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1194:
1122:. Retrieved
1115:the original
1110:
1042:
1024:
1003:. Retrieved
999:the original
989:
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962:
936:
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897:. Retrieved
890:
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869:. Retrieved
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844:
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797:. Retrieved
793:the original
783:
771:. Retrieved
766:
756:
744:. Retrieved
734:
722:. Retrieved
717:
693:. Retrieved
688:
679:
667:. Retrieved
660:
651:
639:. Retrieved
635:Business Day
634:
625:
615:– via
609:. Retrieved
602:
576:. Retrieved
574:. Times Live
548:. Retrieved
457:
453:
449:
446:Final report
440:
436:
432:
421:
409:
407:
403:
390:
381:
366:Class C30EMP
363:
359:
355:Johannesburg
351:Johannesburg
332:
323:South Africa
300:
231:Johannesburg
217:South Africa
88:
73:
64:
33:
662:L'essential
400:Speculation
200: /
176:Coordinates
1343:2018 fires
1332:Categories
1124:13 January
773:10 January
546:. Sky News
525:References
434:injuries.
335:local time
319:Free State
276:Passengers
263:Statistics
188:27°08′04″E
185:27°49′19″S
170:Free State
67:March 2024
55:redirected
1051:cite news
1005:4 January
899:4 January
871:7 January
799:5 January
746:6 January
724:4 January
695:5 January
669:4 January
641:6 January
611:4 January
578:4 January
550:4 January
411:Volksblad
317:, in the
315:Kroonstad
311:Hennenman
166:Kroonstad
718:BBC News
463:See also
329:Accident
237:Operator
159:Location
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1173: (
373:Sheltam
361:train.
337:(07:15
292:Injured
213:Country
144:Details
107:Sheltam
59:deleted
49:may be
1299:Dec 13
1290:Oct 21
1281:Oct 19
1272:Oct 16
1263:Sep 20
1254:Jul 8
1245:Jun 9
1236:Mar 2
1227:Feb 12
1218:Feb 4
1209:Jan 31
1200:Jan 25
1191:Jan 4
892:News24
284:Deaths
268:Trains
51:merged
1118:(PDF)
1107:(PDF)
767:Metro
394:PRASA
255:Cause
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