![The accident site. ©Lada.kz](/userdata/news_en/2013/news_24079/thumb_b/photo_34632.jpg)
The MAN oil tank truck driver told his story of the accident of the oil tank truck and the petroleum tank train near Aktau that caused an explosion, fire and human victims, Tengrinews reports citing Lada. According to Sundetov, the driver, he came to work at 8:00 a.m. on November 16. He passed the regular medical examination before departing on his route. His health condition was normal. He has been working as a driver since 1979 when he started driving during his military conscription. He has never made a car accident before. He has been working for 8 years with Emiroil company and drove along that route pretty often. "I started the work at 8:00 a.m. Had the truck's tank filled with petrol. There is a railway crossing near our base, with the red 'STOP’ sign. I stopped at the sign and looked around. I saw nothing. If had I seen the train coming I wouldn't have driven forward, but I didn't see anything. The next moment there came the explosion. It was so sudden. I lifted my eyes and all I saw was the train right behind me. I had not seen that train the moment before. As if I was my mind went black or something, or may eyes were blindfolded. This was how it happened," Sundetov said. He said that he had no malevolent intent. He managed to jump out of the truck only because the cabin already passed the rails, while the truck's oil tank was still on the rail. The locomotive crashed into the tank. He said he did not flee from the accident site. "It is a grievous disaster. The family has lost their loved one. I would like to visit them and beg for their forgiveness and offer my help. It is a terrible situation. The guy who died in the flare was of the same age with my youngest son. I am so sorry," the truck driver said. The petroleum train fire near Aktau in western Kazakhstan happened on November 16, 2013. And the assistant train driver died on the spot, while the train driver was delivered to a hospital and is alive, but in a grave condition.
The MAN oil tank truck driver told his story of the accident of the oil tank truck and the petroleum tank train near Aktau that caused an explosion, fire and human victims, Tengrinews reports citing Lada.
According to Sundetov, the driver, he came to work at 8:00 a.m. on November 16. He passed the regular medical examination before departing on his route. His health condition was normal.
He has been working as a driver since 1979 when he started driving during his military conscription. He has never made a car accident before. He has been working for 8 years with Emiroil company and drove along that route pretty often.
"I started the work at 8:00 a.m. Had the truck's tank filled with petrol. There is a railway crossing near our base, with the red 'STOP’ sign. I stopped at the sign and looked around. I saw nothing. If had I seen the train coming I wouldn't have driven forward, but I didn't see anything. The next moment there came the explosion. It was so sudden. I lifted my eyes and all I saw was the train right behind me. I had not seen that train the moment before. As if I was my mind went black or something, or may eyes were blindfolded. This was how it happened," Sundetov said.
He said that he had no malevolent intent. He managed to jump out of the truck only because the cabin already passed the rails, while the truck's oil tank was still on the rail. The locomotive crashed into the tank.
He said he did not flee from the accident site. "It is a grievous disaster. The family has lost their loved one. I would like to visit them and beg for their forgiveness and offer my help. It is a terrible situation. The guy who died in the flare was of the same age with my youngest son. I am so sorry," the truck driver said.
The petroleum train fire near Aktau in western Kazakhstan happened on November 16, 2013.
And the assistant train driver died on the spot, while the train driver was delivered to a hospital and is alive, but in a grave condition.