Odisha train accident
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The Commissioner Railway Safety, SER Circle, which began its inquiry into the accident on Monday, will record the statements of the two drivers after their recovery. File photo

Odisha's triple train crash: All you need to know in a nutshell


⚫ At least 200 people were killed and more than 900 injured in a horrific train crash on Friday (June 2) in Odisha’s Balasore.

⚫ The accident happened around 7 pm.

⚫ The train involved are Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and a goods train.

⚫ The Railways has initiated a high-level probe into the train crash.

⚫ Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is now at the accident site, said the main focus now is rescue and relief operations.

⚫So what happened? Several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah train travelling to Howrah derailed at Bahanaga Baazar in Balasore district and fell on adjacent tracks.

⚫ The derailed coaches collided with 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and its coaches capsized too.

⚫ As per officials, A1, A2, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8 B9 bogies of Coromandel Express were derailed.

⚫ Over 350 people have been admitted to different hospitals across the district.

⚫ Fifty doctors from different hospitals in neighbouring districts have been rushed to the spot to treat the injured at the accident site

⚫ Over 100 ambulances have been brought in to remove the wounded.

⚫ All government and private hospitals in Balasore, Bhadrak, Mayurhbanj, Cuttack and Bhubaneshwar have been put on alert to receive the injured.

⚫ Multiple teams of NDRF are already there at the site and some more are being rushed.

⚫Villagers were the first to reach the site and try and help the passengers, pulling out the wounded and the dead from bogies, some of which were nothing but a mangled heap of steel.

⚫ Villagers used bikes, cars to ferry injured to nearby hospitals

⚫Gas cutters are being used to open bogies and bathrooms to rescue people.

⚫Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said he was rushing to the accident site, while Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik is expected to be also at the site by tomorrow morning.

⚫ Many long-distance trains have been cancelled. List here

⚫ Expressing distress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said rescue operations were underway at the site and all possible assistance was being given to those affected.

⚫ The Odisha government has issued helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).

⚫ Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said he was deputing a four-member team to coordinate the rescue of Tamils on the train.

⚫ Transport Minister SS Sivasankar will lead the team to help Tamils affected by the tragedy

⚫Arrangements have already been made at Chennai central railway station to receive injured and other passengers.

⚫ Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Udhayanidhi Stalin is also expected to leave for Odisha

⚫ Tamil Nadu DGP Sylendra Babu said state officers are in touch with Odisha counterparts for quick relief and other measures.

⚫ Sources also say centenary celebrations of former Chief Minister Karunanidhi, scheduled to begin tomorrow (June 3) may be called off in the wake of the horrific tragedy.

⚫ The West Bengal government is rushing a team to the spot to help the Odisha government and Railway authorities to assist rescue operations, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said.

Also Read:  Coromandel Express accident among worst in 10 years; full list here

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