Freight train runs off the track in Aktobe Oblast, Kazakhstan

20 train wagons have run off the track in Aktobe Oblast, western Kazakhstan, Tengrinews reports citing the press-office of  Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ).

"On July 30, at 3:20 p.m. 20 wagons of the #2908 freight train ran off the track at the section near Kandysh-Zhem area in Aktobe Oblast. 6 wagons caught fire," KTZ, the national railway operator of Kazakhstan, said.

The fire extinguishing operation continued until 6:10 p.m. and involved 85 people with 19 pieces of specialized equipment. The area on fire made 350 square meters.

"The track condition was last checked on July 17, 2015. The condition was evaluated as "excellent". To determine the cause of the incident, KTZ created a special commission. There were no casualties in the accident," a KZT representative said.

According to the preliminary findings of the commission, the fire started because of malfunctioning of one of the wagons.

"The special  KTZ commission continues the investigation. According to the preliminary findings, the wagons of the #2908 train run off the track in the Kandyagash-Zhem area of Aktobe Oblast because of malfunctioning of one of the wagons belonging to a private owner," the railway company reported. 

The press office said that if the results of the investigation were confirmed, the damage would be presented to the owner of the malfunctioning wagon.

The damaged track has already been restored.

As a result of the incident, 9 passenger trains were delayed.

By Gyuzel Kamalova, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina