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Train driver trapped for 3hrs
11/07/2007 12:32 - (SA)
Verashni Pillay
Pretoria - A train driver who was trapped for three hours after a 20-ton goods truck collided with a passenger train in Pretoria West, was freed on Wednesday morning with serious pelvic and leg injuries, Pretoria metro police said.
The crash happened just after 06:00 and the driver - estimated to be in her early thirties - was freed at about 09:10, metro police spokesperson Louise Brits told News24 on Wednesday morning. At least 20 passengers on the train were also treated for minor injuries.
The name of the train driver has not yet been released.
Emergency services worked relentlessly to free the woman, who was trapped in the badly damaged front end of the train after it collided head-on with a 20-ton truck that appeared to have lost control, landing on the railway track.
The woman was airlifted to Unitas hospital by Netcare.
Netcare spokesperson, Mark Stokoe told News24 the woman appeared to have a mild head injury as well as blunt trauma to her pelvis and legs.
On arrival at hospital, it was established she had multiple fractures to her pelvis. "It's a serious injury," said Stokoe. "There can be repercussions.
"It's going to be a lengthy healing process and take some work to get her back into shape."
'Lost control'
ER24 spokesperson Riana Beech told Sapa earlier on Wednesday that the 20-ton truck had been travelling along Roger Dyson road in Pretoria West when its brakes are believed to have failed.
"The truck lost control and ran down an embankment towards the tracks, where there was an approaching train at about 06:00," Beech said.
According to witnesses, the truck driver appeared to have lost complete control while heading west on Roger Dyson road. "Witnesses told us that he lost control at the Frikkie T-junction," Brits said. "He went over the T-junction and landed with the truck cabin on the railway."
The truck driver then tried to reverse, but saw the train approaching and jumped out. He escaped unhurt.
Pretoria police spokesperson Inspector Paul Ramaloko told News24 that an investigation was still pending to determine the exact cause of the accident. He said police were investigating a case of reckless and negligent driving.
The passenger train was travelling from the Pretoria West station to Atteridgeville, according to Ramaloko.
At this stage it is believed that at least 20 passengers were treated for minor injuries on the scene and about three were taken to the Tshwane District and Kalafong hospitals in a stable condition.
The truck cabin was a complete wreck, according to Brits, who said that bags of what appeared to be dog food spilt out of it.
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