'Heard loud sound and saw people screaming for help': Locals recall Tamil Nadu train accident

Chennai: At around 8.30 pm on Friday, residents of Kavaraipettai, a small town in Tamil Nadu on the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway, heard a loud sound near the railway tracks.

Within minutes, they mobilised youngsters and walked on the tracks to save hundreds of passengers of the Mysuru-Darbhanga express train, making them the first respondents before police and fire and rescue personnel landed at the spot.

The villagers alerted the fire department and called 108 to report about the accident and played a key role in averting casualties. Rescued passengers thanked the villagers for being “alert”, “helping them” on time and even providing them with water to get out of the shock.

The express train, which was running at a speed of 75 km per hour, collided with the rear of the stationary goods train, resulting in the derailment of 13 coaches.

Vetri, a resident of Kavaraipettai, said people could go in large numbers within minutes of hearing a loud thud since the accident took place very close to the town.

“When we went there, we saw a coach engulfed in fire. But when we went close, we realised that a lot of passengers were inside the derailed coaches. We helped them come out of the coaches. Some people had fractures in their hands and legs, and we gave them first aid before sending them to hospitals in ambulances,” Vetri said.

The locals said about 25 fire engines were rushed to the spot along with about 30 ambulances immediately after they informed authorities about the train accident.

Balakrishnan, who lives about 100 metres from the railway station, said they saw train coaches scattered across the tracks and mounted efforts to rescue the people who were stuck inside their rail coaches.

“People were screaming for help, and we could reach in no time. Most people asked for water, and we mobilised as much as we could from near-by shops. We brought the injured to the station and made them sit on the benches,” Balakrishnan added.

At the first look, Vetri and Balakrishnan thought there would be “too many casualties” but were relieved when they heard in the night that no one lost their lives in the accident.

The injured and other passengers were taken to marriage halls near Kavaraipettai before they were transported to Chennai Central to reach their respective destinations.