Tezgam Train Derailment in Punjab Leaves 26 Passengers Injured
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Islamabad, March 25 (NationPress) A total of 26 passengers sustained injuries when seven coaches of the Tezgam train, traveling from Karachi, derailed near Adam Wahan Railway Station on the Bahawalpur-Lodhran route in Punjab, Pakistan, as reported by local media on Wednesday.
Five of the train's bogies, which were making their way from Lahore to Karachi, toppled over on Tuesday night. In response to the incident, Lodhran Deputy Commissioner Abdul Hafiz, along with Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Liaquat Gilani, the District Police Officer (DPO), and officials from Rescue 1122, quickly arrived at the scene to conduct rescue operations, as highlighted by Pakistan's prominent newspaper, Dawn.
Rescue teams worked to free some passengers trapped in the overturned coaches. A spokesperson for Pakistan Railways, Kaleem Ahmed, confirmed that there were no fatalities, and the injured were receiving medical attention from the rescuers. Muhammad Safdar, a media coordinator for Lodhran Rescue 1122, reported that 26 individuals were hurt in the derailment.
Among the injured, 17 received first aid on-site, while the remaining nine, including a woman, were transported to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Lodhran, where one individual was reported to be in serious condition.
ADC Liaquat Gilani indicated that nine passengers were promptly taken to the DHQ hospital for further treatment, while the others were treated at the scene. He added that the wards of the Lodhran DHQ Hospital, which has a capacity of 35 beds, had been allocated for the train accident victims.
As of now, the cause of the train's derailment has not been disclosed by the Pakistan Railways spokesperson. An investigation has been ordered by railway officials to ascertain the reason behind this incident.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that the couplers connecting the bogies may have malfunctioned, causing the train to split into two segments. Following this separation, five of the seven coaches attached to the engine went off the rails. Consequently, railway traffic on the affected track has been suspended, and a relief train was dispatched from the Samasatta railway junction.