Lahore:
Over 150 passengers were left wounded on Friday when five coaches in Islamabad Express passenger train overturned near Kala Shah Kaku Railway Station, only 15 kilometers from Lahore, in a scary derailment that narrowly avoided throwing the train into a gap.
The train, on the way from Lahore to Rawalpindi with hundreds of passengers on board, met with the accident near the harsh terrain surrounding Kala Shah Kaku.
According to wounded passengers, the sudden shakes began as the train crossed the stretch near the station, causing five rear coaches to weigh out of the eastern side of the track and overturned.
Meanwhile, the locomotive pulled four passenger trainers over 500 meters from the rails before stopping.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as men, women, children and the elderly screamed for help in the middle of the wreck. With the area shrouded in the dark and difficult to access, rescue teams fought to reach the place in time.
The screams of wounded passengers repeated through the night, creating an atmosphere of distress and fear.
Injured passengers said that 107-up was composed of nine coaches and had just crossed the outskirts of Lahore when it began to shake violently. The site of the derailure lies in a remote area flanked by steep canyons on both sides of the railway track, which raised fears of a much larger tragedy the overturned coaches had fallen into the gaps.
Rescue 1122 issued an official statement that set the number of wounded on 27. Eyewitnesses estimated, however, that the number was well over 100, with some hinting that it was crossing 150.
After receiving the alarm, Sheikhupura -Vice Commissioner Shahid Imran Marth, District Police Officer Bilal Zafar Sheikh, and teams from Rescue 1122 and police units from Murideke, Sheikhupura, Ferozewala and Shahdara rushed to the scene. They monitored first aid and evacuation efforts all night.
Many wounded passengers were seen wandering in the dark in search of their belongings or trying to reach the nearby GT road. Several used private vehicles to reach hospitals on their own, while others were transported to medical facilities under the supervision of rescue staff.
Stranded passengers later left the stage in private vehicles hoping to resume their travels from alternative points. Several were seen feverishly attempts to find their luggage in the middle of the derailed coaches.
While the cause of the derailment remains during investigation, officials are expected to release additional details when technical assessments are completed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif grief over the train accident and directed rescue teams to start operations to help passengers as soon as possible. He ordered the provision of immediate medical assistance to the wounded on a priority basis. He asked for the quick improvement of the wounded.
