Train hits Taxi.
-
Stefan Andrzejewski
- Posts: 864
- Joined: 01 Dec 2008, 17:10
- Location: Cape Town
- Contact:
Train hits Taxi.
A Metro train on the Eersterivier line in Cape Town slammed into a Taxi this morning at Blackheath killing eight children. The booms cover half of the road and the Taxi's ride around the stopped traffic and closed booms and cross the line. When will this carnage stop. When will the Traffic authoroties do something about these unlawful vehicles. My condolences to those who have passed away. My thoughts are also with the Train Driver.
-
John Ashworth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23606
- Joined: 24 Jan 2007, 14:38
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Contact:
Re: Train hits Taxi.
8 dead as train hits taxi
iafrica.com
Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:23
Eight children died and seven were seriously injured when a train hit a taxi at a level crossing in Bakenskop, near Blackheath in Cape Town, on Wednesday morning, emergency services and police said.
ER24 spokesperson Andre Visser said there was "total chaos" on the scene, where paramedics found the bodies of the eight children aged between eight and 11.
Two injured children had to be cut out of the wreckage and they were taken to hospital with the five other seriously injured children.
Police spokesperson Colonel Billy Jones said the accident happened at 6.45am while the children were passing through Blackheath on their way to school.
A culpable homicide investigation would be conducted to establish who was responsible.
Further details were not immediately available.
iafrica.com
Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:23
Eight children died and seven were seriously injured when a train hit a taxi at a level crossing in Bakenskop, near Blackheath in Cape Town, on Wednesday morning, emergency services and police said.
ER24 spokesperson Andre Visser said there was "total chaos" on the scene, where paramedics found the bodies of the eight children aged between eight and 11.
Two injured children had to be cut out of the wreckage and they were taken to hospital with the five other seriously injured children.
Police spokesperson Colonel Billy Jones said the accident happened at 6.45am while the children were passing through Blackheath on their way to school.
A culpable homicide investigation would be conducted to establish who was responsible.
Further details were not immediately available.
-
John Ashworth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23606
- Joined: 24 Jan 2007, 14:38
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Contact:
Re: Train hits Taxi.
CAPE TOWN
08:00
Wednesday 25 August 2010
MEDIA STATEMENT
LEVEL CROSSING ACCIDENT BETWEEN BLACKHEATH AND MELTON ROSE STATIONS
Metrorail confirms that a minibus-taxi carrying learners collided with Strand-bound commuter train number 3209 this morning at 06:50. The accident happened at the Buttskop level crossing between Blackheath and Melton Rose Stations.
Information to hand indicates eight fatalities and seven learners in critical condition. One was airlifted to Red Cross Children’s Hospital; the other six were taken to Tygerberg Hospital. The driver of the vehicle was taken to Kuils River Hospital. The train crew is being treated for shock. No commuters were injured. Metrorail acting Regional Manager Lindelo Matya expresses his shock and regret: ‘Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the little ones – our first priority is to ensure that we assist rescue services to get everyone medical assistance’.
Metrorail investigators are on the scene and are co-operating with the rescue service and police investigations. Representatives of the Rail Safety Regulator, rail technical experts and other appropriate agencies have been informed and will assist in the investigation into the accident.
Commuters on board the train are being bussed to the closest stations. For the duration of the police investigation Metrorail is obliged to stop the train until given authority to resume operations. Technicians will inspect both lines for safety before resuming services.
The incident happened at the Buttskop provincial level crossing, 1km west of Blackheath. The crossing complies with statutory protection requirements i.e. half booms, warning signage and flashing lights. All 34 active level crossings in the region fully comply with statutory and legal requirements. Trains operate at all times with their lights on and sound their sirens on approach to level crossings.
The northern service area is extensive and stretches as far as Worcester, Malmesbury, Paarl and Strand.
END
-
John Ashworth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23606
- Joined: 24 Jan 2007, 14:38
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Contact:
Re: Train hits Taxi.
BBC 25 August 2010 Last updated at 11:41 GMT
South Africa bus collides with train killing children
At least eight children have been killed and four injured in a collision between a school bus and a train in South Africa, local reports say.
The accident happened at a railway crossing near Cape Town when the driver drove round a closed gate, witnesses were quoted as saying.
A police spokesman also said the crossing's barriers were lowered at the time of the accident.
The bus driver was reported to have been seriously injured.
Police said an investigation was under way and that charges could be brought against the driver.
"The crossing is protected by road signs, flashing lights and booms, which were confirmed to be in working order," said a statement from railway officials.
The children were reported to be between the ages of eight and 11.
Grieving relatives gathered near the wreckage of the bus following the collision.
No-one in the train was injured.
South Africa bus collides with train killing children
At least eight children have been killed and four injured in a collision between a school bus and a train in South Africa, local reports say.
The accident happened at a railway crossing near Cape Town when the driver drove round a closed gate, witnesses were quoted as saying.
A police spokesman also said the crossing's barriers were lowered at the time of the accident.
The bus driver was reported to have been seriously injured.
Police said an investigation was under way and that charges could be brought against the driver.
"The crossing is protected by road signs, flashing lights and booms, which were confirmed to be in working order," said a statement from railway officials.
The children were reported to be between the ages of eight and 11.
Grieving relatives gathered near the wreckage of the bus following the collision.
No-one in the train was injured.
-
John Ashworth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 23606
- Joined: 24 Jan 2007, 14:38
- Location: Nairobi, Kenya
- Contact:
Re: Train hits Taxi.
'Reckless' driver killed kids - MEC
2010-08-25 22:11
News 24
Johannesburg - The deaths of nine school children on Wednesday were due to a "reckless" driver who overtook several cars to get across a railway crossing, Western Cape Transport MEC Robin Carlisle said.
"I am devastated that young people lost their lives and others sustained injuries on their way to school because of the utter recklessness of the driver," he said in a statement.
"According to police and witnesses, a minibus taxi overtook several cars stopped at the crossing, and was struck by a train while attempting to navigate across the track between the lowered booms."
Four other children were in a critical condition in hospital while the driver remained in a stable condition at Kuils River hospital.
Carlisle visited the Buttskop level crossing in Blackheath, on Buttskop Road, outside Cape Town earlier on Wednesday and conveyed his condolences to the affected families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
He vowed to work hard with the relevant authorities to ensure there was no repeat of such an incident.
"I will keep a close eye on the investigation to ensure that justice is served. I will also work together with Metrorail and law enforcement agencies to do everything humanly possible to ensure that a tragedy like this does not happen again."
Bodies lying around
Chris de Vos, secretary general of the United Transport and Allied Union (Utatu), said he rushed to the site to help the train driver and conductor because they were in shock.
"They are currently with the psychologists. You can understand when a train stops after hitting a kombi load of children... .You just see bodies of children lying around.
"It can come back to you four five, 10 years later," he said.
Utatu conducted its own investigation and initial indications were that other cars had already stopped after the booms were lowered, but a minibus taxi came from behind and "zig-zagged" past the booms and over the rails.
"How could this have been prevented, people ask," said de Vos.
"Three or four vehicles had already stopped. The booms went down, but the length of the booms does not stop another vehicle from driving around."
De Vos said the booms only blocked the left side of the road in each direction.
Take a chance
"He (the taxi driver) thought he was still going to take a chance and make it before the train, and people tend to misjudge the speed of a train.
"There are still people who believe that a train driver can reduce speed. It takes about five or six hundred metres, depending on the speed (and) the gradient, for the train to stop."
De Vos said it looked as though the taxi was flung into the air by the impact.
The Railway Safety Regulator said after a preliminary investigation inspectors concluded that a possible mistake on the part of the taxi driver may have caused the crash in Blackheath.
"The flashing lights and booms were found to be in working order. The level crossing is also marked by road signage. This is the maximum level of protection which can be afforded to a level crossing," the regulator said.
"In light of the above measures, preliminary indications point towards possible negligent vehicle driver behaviour at the crossing point."
The taxi was taking 13 children to school.
President Jacob Zuma and Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele, who were on a state visit to China, sent a message of condolence to the families of the children.
- SAPA
'Driver may have ignored boom'
2010-08-25 10:57
News 24
Cape Town - Preliminary investigations into an accident that killed nine schoolchildren in Blackheath, just outside Cape Town on Wednesday morning indicate that the driver of the minibus they were travelling in tried to cross the train tracks while the boom was down, say police.
"A case of culpable homicide is being investigated," police spokesperson Billy Jones told News24.
Jones said the minibus was carrying 13 pupils from Kasselsvlei High School, Sarepta High School, Bellville South Primary School and Bellville Technical High School. Eight children were confirmed dead on the scene while the ninth died in hospital.
Traumatised
A student at Bellville Technical High School told News24 teachers at the school are sending pupils back home after at least two pupils from the school were killed in the accident.
The student, who did not want her name mentioned, said she was still trying to deal with the trauma.
"I don't know where my head is at the moment," she said.
She said one of the pupils killed was a 16-year-old first team hockey player in Grade 10 while the other was a girl in Grade 8.
The school confirmed that two of their pupils died in the accident.
'A lot of blood'
Witness Marvin Swaartbooi, who said he got to the scene just after the accident happened, told News24 it was clear the taxi driver had tried to jump the tracks while the boom was down.
He said the train had smashed into the back of the taxi, throwing the children out.
"The children who had been at the back of the taxi were lying in a heap, not moving," he said.
He said other children who showed signs of life were still on the ground when he got there, and seemed "dazed" as they tried to get up.
"There was a lot of blood," he said.
Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said Metrorail investigators were co-operating with police while commuters on board the Eersteriver-bound train were being bussed to the nearest stations.
The accident happened between Blackheath and Melton Rose Stations.
Legal requirements
"Technicians will inspect both lines for safety before resuming services," she said.
Scott said the Buttskop provincial level crossing, where the accident happened, complied with statutory protection requirements such as half booms, warning signage and flashing lights.
"All 34 active level crossings in the region fully comply with statutory and legal requirements. Trains operate at all times with their lights on and sound their sirens on approach to level crossings," she said.
Asked if the half booms - which some drivers reportedly drive around - could be modified to stop this practice, Scott said she didn't want to speculate.
"We will go by whatever the technical investigation team says and whatever recommendations they make," she told News24.
'Max protection' at rail crossing
2010-08-25 14:15
News 24
Cape Town – The Railway Safety Regulator says there is not much authorities can do to prevent incidents such as Wednesday morning's horrific accident in which nine school children died when a mini bus they were travelling in was hit by a train.
"It's like someone crossing a red robot," the regulator's Carvel Webb told News24. "It's a road compliance issue," he said.
Asked if the half booms could be extended across both lanes to prevent drivers from swerving past the half booms, Webb said these were safer than full booms.
A half boom only extends across the lane a vehicle is travelling in on one side of the train tracks leaving the crossing open on the other side of the tracks.
Carvel said full booms were not preferred in South Africa because two full booms on opposite sides of the tracks had the potential to close in vehicles should the booms come down just after a vehicle goes past the first.
"We would not like to see people trapped in between the tracks," he said.
Culpable homicide
In a statement earlier on Wednesday the regulator said the road signs, flashing lights and booms protecting the Buttskop crossing in Blackheath, just outside of Cape Town, were in working order and were the "maximum level of protection which can be afforded to a level crossing".
It also said an investigation it is conducting into the incident would look at how the accident could have occurred, despite these measures.
Police spokesperson Billy Jones told News24 earlier that preliminary investigations indicated that the driver of the mini bus, who has been hospitalised, may have tried to beat the boom and that a case of culpable homicide was being investigated.
Meanwhile, Western Cape Education MEC Donald Grant and Health MEC Theunis Botha were expected to visit the five children, who were all in a serious condition in hospital.
Eight children were declared dead on the scene. Another body was later discovered under the bodies of the other dead children, bringing the death toll to nine. Earlier reports had said the ninth child had died on the way to hospital.
News24 user Donovan Edmunds, who uses the road regularly, said impatience by drivers was a regular sight at the Buttskop level crossing which he said was prone to morning and afternoon traffic.
"The problem is the drivers. They refuse to be patient and wait like us," he told News24.
He said taxi come from behind the queue, riding on the wrong side of the road while passing the traffic and then cross the train tracks.
"My heart goes out to the families. All they did was to send their kids to school.
"The main culprits are the minibus taxis. I know we seem to blame them a lot but, it is what I have been seeing every morning."
Counselling
A statement from Grant's office said the MEC would then proceed to the Blackheath Civic Centre where disaster management was debriefing those affected by the tragedy.
He is also expected to visit all of the schools concerned.
Police told News24 the children were from Kasselsvlei High School, Sarepta High School, Bellville South Primary School and Bellville Technical High School.
"WCED (Western Cape Education Department) officials will work with the schools concerned to provide further debriefing and trauma counselling to learners and teachers," Grant said.
ER24 said Wednesday morning's crash was the third major crash involving a train in Cape Town in the past three weeks.
- News24
2010-08-25 22:11
News 24
Johannesburg - The deaths of nine school children on Wednesday were due to a "reckless" driver who overtook several cars to get across a railway crossing, Western Cape Transport MEC Robin Carlisle said.
"I am devastated that young people lost their lives and others sustained injuries on their way to school because of the utter recklessness of the driver," he said in a statement.
"According to police and witnesses, a minibus taxi overtook several cars stopped at the crossing, and was struck by a train while attempting to navigate across the track between the lowered booms."
Four other children were in a critical condition in hospital while the driver remained in a stable condition at Kuils River hospital.
Carlisle visited the Buttskop level crossing in Blackheath, on Buttskop Road, outside Cape Town earlier on Wednesday and conveyed his condolences to the affected families and wished the injured a speedy recovery.
He vowed to work hard with the relevant authorities to ensure there was no repeat of such an incident.
"I will keep a close eye on the investigation to ensure that justice is served. I will also work together with Metrorail and law enforcement agencies to do everything humanly possible to ensure that a tragedy like this does not happen again."
Bodies lying around
Chris de Vos, secretary general of the United Transport and Allied Union (Utatu), said he rushed to the site to help the train driver and conductor because they were in shock.
"They are currently with the psychologists. You can understand when a train stops after hitting a kombi load of children... .You just see bodies of children lying around.
"It can come back to you four five, 10 years later," he said.
Utatu conducted its own investigation and initial indications were that other cars had already stopped after the booms were lowered, but a minibus taxi came from behind and "zig-zagged" past the booms and over the rails.
"How could this have been prevented, people ask," said de Vos.
"Three or four vehicles had already stopped. The booms went down, but the length of the booms does not stop another vehicle from driving around."
De Vos said the booms only blocked the left side of the road in each direction.
Take a chance
"He (the taxi driver) thought he was still going to take a chance and make it before the train, and people tend to misjudge the speed of a train.
"There are still people who believe that a train driver can reduce speed. It takes about five or six hundred metres, depending on the speed (and) the gradient, for the train to stop."
De Vos said it looked as though the taxi was flung into the air by the impact.
The Railway Safety Regulator said after a preliminary investigation inspectors concluded that a possible mistake on the part of the taxi driver may have caused the crash in Blackheath.
"The flashing lights and booms were found to be in working order. The level crossing is also marked by road signage. This is the maximum level of protection which can be afforded to a level crossing," the regulator said.
"In light of the above measures, preliminary indications point towards possible negligent vehicle driver behaviour at the crossing point."
The taxi was taking 13 children to school.
President Jacob Zuma and Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele, who were on a state visit to China, sent a message of condolence to the families of the children.
- SAPA
'Driver may have ignored boom'
2010-08-25 10:57
News 24
Cape Town - Preliminary investigations into an accident that killed nine schoolchildren in Blackheath, just outside Cape Town on Wednesday morning indicate that the driver of the minibus they were travelling in tried to cross the train tracks while the boom was down, say police.
"A case of culpable homicide is being investigated," police spokesperson Billy Jones told News24.
Jones said the minibus was carrying 13 pupils from Kasselsvlei High School, Sarepta High School, Bellville South Primary School and Bellville Technical High School. Eight children were confirmed dead on the scene while the ninth died in hospital.
Traumatised
A student at Bellville Technical High School told News24 teachers at the school are sending pupils back home after at least two pupils from the school were killed in the accident.
The student, who did not want her name mentioned, said she was still trying to deal with the trauma.
"I don't know where my head is at the moment," she said.
She said one of the pupils killed was a 16-year-old first team hockey player in Grade 10 while the other was a girl in Grade 8.
The school confirmed that two of their pupils died in the accident.
'A lot of blood'
Witness Marvin Swaartbooi, who said he got to the scene just after the accident happened, told News24 it was clear the taxi driver had tried to jump the tracks while the boom was down.
He said the train had smashed into the back of the taxi, throwing the children out.
"The children who had been at the back of the taxi were lying in a heap, not moving," he said.
He said other children who showed signs of life were still on the ground when he got there, and seemed "dazed" as they tried to get up.
"There was a lot of blood," he said.
Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said Metrorail investigators were co-operating with police while commuters on board the Eersteriver-bound train were being bussed to the nearest stations.
The accident happened between Blackheath and Melton Rose Stations.
Legal requirements
"Technicians will inspect both lines for safety before resuming services," she said.
Scott said the Buttskop provincial level crossing, where the accident happened, complied with statutory protection requirements such as half booms, warning signage and flashing lights.
"All 34 active level crossings in the region fully comply with statutory and legal requirements. Trains operate at all times with their lights on and sound their sirens on approach to level crossings," she said.
Asked if the half booms - which some drivers reportedly drive around - could be modified to stop this practice, Scott said she didn't want to speculate.
"We will go by whatever the technical investigation team says and whatever recommendations they make," she told News24.
'Max protection' at rail crossing
2010-08-25 14:15
News 24
Cape Town – The Railway Safety Regulator says there is not much authorities can do to prevent incidents such as Wednesday morning's horrific accident in which nine school children died when a mini bus they were travelling in was hit by a train.
"It's like someone crossing a red robot," the regulator's Carvel Webb told News24. "It's a road compliance issue," he said.
Asked if the half booms could be extended across both lanes to prevent drivers from swerving past the half booms, Webb said these were safer than full booms.
A half boom only extends across the lane a vehicle is travelling in on one side of the train tracks leaving the crossing open on the other side of the tracks.
Carvel said full booms were not preferred in South Africa because two full booms on opposite sides of the tracks had the potential to close in vehicles should the booms come down just after a vehicle goes past the first.
"We would not like to see people trapped in between the tracks," he said.
Culpable homicide
In a statement earlier on Wednesday the regulator said the road signs, flashing lights and booms protecting the Buttskop crossing in Blackheath, just outside of Cape Town, were in working order and were the "maximum level of protection which can be afforded to a level crossing".
It also said an investigation it is conducting into the incident would look at how the accident could have occurred, despite these measures.
Police spokesperson Billy Jones told News24 earlier that preliminary investigations indicated that the driver of the mini bus, who has been hospitalised, may have tried to beat the boom and that a case of culpable homicide was being investigated.
Meanwhile, Western Cape Education MEC Donald Grant and Health MEC Theunis Botha were expected to visit the five children, who were all in a serious condition in hospital.
Eight children were declared dead on the scene. Another body was later discovered under the bodies of the other dead children, bringing the death toll to nine. Earlier reports had said the ninth child had died on the way to hospital.
News24 user Donovan Edmunds, who uses the road regularly, said impatience by drivers was a regular sight at the Buttskop level crossing which he said was prone to morning and afternoon traffic.
"The problem is the drivers. They refuse to be patient and wait like us," he told News24.
He said taxi come from behind the queue, riding on the wrong side of the road while passing the traffic and then cross the train tracks.
"My heart goes out to the families. All they did was to send their kids to school.
"The main culprits are the minibus taxis. I know we seem to blame them a lot but, it is what I have been seeing every morning."
Counselling
A statement from Grant's office said the MEC would then proceed to the Blackheath Civic Centre where disaster management was debriefing those affected by the tragedy.
He is also expected to visit all of the schools concerned.
Police told News24 the children were from Kasselsvlei High School, Sarepta High School, Bellville South Primary School and Bellville Technical High School.
"WCED (Western Cape Education Department) officials will work with the schools concerned to provide further debriefing and trauma counselling to learners and teachers," Grant said.
ER24 said Wednesday morning's crash was the third major crash involving a train in Cape Town in the past three weeks.
- News24
-
Rob Jamieson
- Posts: 44
- Joined: 15 Jul 2008, 11:40
- Location: Pretoria
Re: Train hits Taxi.
This is really a tragic incident. The innocent children are victims of another taxi driver who blatantly disregarded the traffic rules and laws. By ignoring the the basic rules intentionally, what happened here is not manslaughter, but murder and the full wrath of the law should be brought to bear upon this driver and others who commit these crimes. Unfortunately, this will not compensate the victims who lost their lives and their families. The inability of law enforcement to deal with the perpetrators of such acts is also extremely worrying. It is time that law abiding citizens who are passengers in these taxis start to call the shots as without them, the taxi industry would not be able to exist. Surely if passengers can be mobilised into action against the taxi industry, just as workers are mobilised for the many industrial strikes that take place in this country, the attitude of the industry could be changed and lives of innocent people saved. Maybe I'm living in a dream world but somehow this lawnessless needs to be stopped.
Rob
SA747
SA747
-
Dylan Knott
- Posts: 872
- Joined: 17 Aug 2007, 19:44
- Location: Cape Town
Re: Train hits Taxi.
Extremely sad!
As a volunteer for EMS all I can say is thank god we were not on call yesterday morning.
The fact that this driver overtook all the stationary cars and then proceeded to weave his way past the booms is unthinkable!!! Sadly, taxis have been doing this for ages!
As a volunteer for EMS all I can say is thank god we were not on call yesterday morning.
The fact that this driver overtook all the stationary cars and then proceeded to weave his way past the booms is unthinkable!!! Sadly, taxis have been doing this for ages!