At least 25 killed as train crashes in Cairo station, erupting in ball of flames
Ns News Online Desk: About 50 people were injured and 23 killed
There was a blast when a train rammed into a steel barrier at Ramses station
CAIRO: A deadly train crash which killed at least 25 people and injured dozens more was caused by a driver leaving his vehicle unattended without turning off its engine to speak with the driver of another train, according to Egypt’s prosecutor-general.
Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek issued a statement revealing the preliminary results of an investigation into the crash, saying the train involved in the deadly collision had been on its way to a train yard when it was struck by another locomotive on an adjacent train line.
The driver of the first train left it unattended without turning off its engine to speak with the other driver, who was already working on disengaging his train from another locomotive. When the two trains disengaged, the now-unmanned train moved at high speed towards the railway station until it collided with a concrete barrier at the end of the train line and burst into flames.
The prosecution has tasked forensic experts with using DNA tests to identify the charred remains of the victims. “The driver left the rail car without taking any measures to brake it,” Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek said in a statement.
Health officials say at least 25 people were killed and dozens more injured in the crash and ensuing fire. The moment a fireball ripped through Egypt’s Ramses Station as a high speed train smashed into a metal barrier killing at least 20 people and injuring 50 on Wednesday was captured on video. In a video released on social media commuters can be seen walking around and then moments later people are seen running for their lives as the ball of flames erupts through the air.