South African Commuter Trains Collision Leaves Dozens Injured
Source Xinhua General News Service
Dozens of South African passengers were injured when two crowded commuter trains collided head-on in Soweto near Johannesburg on Thursday evening.
Emergency personnel said there were no deaths and it was too early to tally the number of injured.
The South African Press Association (SAPA) reported that additional ambulances were being called in from other parts of South Africa's Gauteng province to assist injured commuters.
Jeff Wicks, spokesman for South African emergency service Netcare 911, said several hundred passengers had spilled from the doors of both trains and were found lying on an adjacent train track.
"The trains collided but haven't derailed. We have injured people who are unable to move in the train coach...we are assisting the injured but we have called in extra resources," he said.
Synock Matobako, spokesman for Johannesburg emergency services, said about 300 passengers in all were involved.
South African police spokesman Tshisikhawe Ndau said two trains collided at around 5:30 p.m. local time.
"We can say that there are no deaths but there are injuries... the details are still coming in," he said.
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