Panicked commuters jump from moving train

24 October 2015 - 11:10 By Mpho Raborife
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About 120 people have been injured after the train they were travelling on allegedly had a system failure in its brake system, Johannesburg paramedics say.

"The train did not crash or derail at all," Netcare911 spokesperson Chris Botha said.

"Reports indicate that for reasons still to be investigated the brakes seem to have locked causing people to fall. In the panic it appears that some of the commuters jumped from the moving train."

The incident took place around 19.00.

Botha said about 120 had sustained minor to serious injuries. They were treated on the scene before being transported to nearby hospitals. Isaac Fortiun, who lives across the train station, told News24 he heard an explosion and then screams coming from the train.

"I just saw explosions on the train. It got stuck on the railway track, then people jumped out of the train... It was terrible to see."

He said he saw between 50 and 100 injured people, but was barred by police from going near the scene to assist.

"The people were screaming, a lot of them. Out of my yard I can see everything. It's about 100m away."

The cause of the accident was unclear and subject to investigation, said Botha.

Source: News24

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