Trains collide in Almaty again

An electric locomotive has collided with Almaty-Karaganda passenger train during the train's loading at Almaty-1 train station. The accident happened at 03:45 p.m. on August 6, Tengrinews.kz reports citing Semirechinsk transport prosecutors. 8 people were injured in the accident. Four of them were delivered to a hospital with bruises and closed craniocerebral injuries. After some medical check, one of the victims was transferred to the neurosurgery department of Hospital No.7. None of the train carriages were damaged. The passenger train left the station with a one hour delay. Initially it was reported by the investigators that the accident was caused by a break failure. But later Semirechinsk Transport Prosecutors Office said that it was a human error rather than a technical malfunctioning. According to the prosecutors, the locomotive's driver used only two out of four braking gears, that’s why the emergency brake application did not happen. A criminal case has been initiated for violation of safety rules and exploitation of railroad transport. The investigation will finish in 2 months. This is the second train accident that involves collision of trains in Almaty in one month. The first accident happened on July 28 at Almaty-2 train station when the station duty officer ordered maneuvering of the passenger train No.15 to the platform without making sure that the platform was vacant. As a result, the track switch was done improperly. 50 people were injured in the accident and 5 of them were delivered to a hospital. According to deputy prosecutor of the senior prosecutor’s office Darkhan Kapas, all the passenger transportation systems of the South department controlled by Semirechinsk prosecutor’s office are being checked in the context of the two accidents. The injured passengers will receive compensations if they fill lawsuits, Kapas added. By Assemgul Kassenova