WATCH: Rescue operations underway at Odisha train crash site in Balashore

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Odisha Triple Train Crash: The eastern state of Odisha witnessed one of the most horrific railway accidents in independent India when three trains collided in Balasore district on Friday evening, leading to the deaths of over 233 people and leaving more than 900 injured.

The deadly accident set off a massive rescue and evacuation process, officials said on Saturday.

“Death toll rises to 233 in the Balasore Train Accident,” Odisha Chief Secretary PK Jena tweeted.

Around 7 p.m. on Friday, one of the deadliest railway accidents in Indian history occurred close to the Bahanaga Baazar station in the Balasore district, some 250 km south of Kolkata and 170 km north of Bhubaneswar. The Railway Ministry immediately ordered an investigation.

According to a statement from the Indian Railways, A M Chowdhary, Commissioner Railway Safety, South East Circle, will be in charge of the investigation into the train disaster. The Ministry of Civil Aviation is responsible for the Commissioner of Railway Safety.

Several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, on the way to Howrah, derailed and fell on adjacent tracks, an official said.

“These derailed coaches collided with the 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express and its coaches capsized too,” he said.

The Coromandel Express, which was travelling to Chennai, saw part of its coaches collide with the waggons of a cargo train, which was also involved in the disaster, he added.

The bodies were removed from beneath the derailed coaches using gas cutters.

“Some of the scenes at the site were too gory to describe,” said a passenger.

Mangled coaches lay scattered at the accident site. Some of the coaches had mounted on others, while others of which had turned turtle due to the collision. The nearby railway tracks were nearly completely wrecked.

“We were jolted and suddenly saw the train bogie turn on one side. Many of us were thrown out of the compartment by the momentum of the derailment. When we managed to crawl out, we found bodies lying all around,” an eyewitness told the media.

There were 1,200 people working at the accident site in addition to 115 ambulances, 50 buses, and 45 mobile health units, according to Bhubaneswar officials. Tractors were among the several types of vehicles used to transport the bodies to the hospitals.

Locals claimed they heard a series of loud noises, raced to the scene, and discovered the derailed coaches to be little more than "a mangled heap of steel."

Following the fatal triple train tragedy, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday proclaimed a day of national mourning.

According to State Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo, the accident victims were being treated at various hospitals.

All public and private hospitals, including the AIIMS in Bhubaneswar, have been placed on alert in the close-by districts.

The Air Force was also reportedly called in to help with the rescue efforts, according to Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who was en route to the scene.
“Rushing to the site in Odisha. My prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured and condolences to the bereaved families. Rescue teams mobilised from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. NDRF, State govt. teams and Airforce also mobilised. Will take all hands required for the rescue ops,” he tweeted.

More than 2,000 people gathered at the Balasore Medical College and Hospital in the night to help the injured, and many also donated blood.

Chief Secretary Jena thanked the volunteers who donated blood to the accident victims in their hour of need.

“Five hundred units of blood collected overnight here at Balasore. Nine hundred units in stock at present. This will help in treating the accident victims. I’m personally indebted & grateful to all the volunteers who’ve donated blood for a noble cause,” Jena tweeted.

The railways announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for those grievously injured and Rs 50,000 for those who got minor injuries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi too expressed his distress over the accident, and announced an additional ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the PM’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). “Distressed by the train accident in Odisha. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw and took stock of the situation. Rescue ops are underway at the site of the mishap and all possible assistance is being given to those affected,” he tweeted.

The Odisha government issued helpline 06782-262286. The railway helplines are 033-26382217 (Howrah), 8972073925 (Kharagpur), 8249591559 (Balasore) and 044- 25330952 (Chennai).

Expressing concern over the accident, in which a large number of people from West Bengal were involved, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said she was monitoring the situation along with the chief secretary and other officials.

West Bengal Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi said the state was sending a team led by minister Manas Bhunia and MP Dola Sen to the spot.

So far, 18 long-distance trains have been cancelled due to the accident, which happened on the Howrah-Chennai main line in the Kharagpur division of the South Eastern Railway.

(With agency inputs)

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