Six injured as freight and passenger trains collide in North West

Six people were injured when a passenger train and freight train collided in North West on Saturday.

The collision happened before dawn on a stretch of track that runs parallel to the R502 outside Leeudoringstad, said ER24 spokesperson Ross Campbell.

“ER24 paramedics arrived on the scene at 5.21am with the SA Police Service and the fire department,” he said.

“Several coal cars had derailed in the collision and the passenger train's engine had caught fire. It was quickly extinguished by the fire department.

“Luckily, very few people were on board the passenger train and only six people in total were treated for minor injuries.

“Two men in their 30s were transported to a private hospital in Klerksdorp for further care. The other four were treated on-scene by the provincial services but declined transportation to the hospital.”

Campbell said the cause of the collision was unknown but railway officials were on the scene to investigate.

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