[imagesource:Facebook/ Drakenstein Farm Watch]

Early Tuesday evening in Paarl turned chaotic when a commuter train derailed, leaving several passengers trapped and others injured.

The scene was one of confusion and fear as rescue teams scrambled to free those caught in the wreckage, while the injured were rushed to safety.

The Citizen reports that a passenger train en route to Wellington derailed at Dal Josafat station in Paarl, leaving 35 people injured in the wreckage.

Stunned bystanders watched as the Drakenstein Disaster Management Team swiftly moved into action, conducting rescue operations amidst the aftermath of the train derailment.

The request for urgent assistance was received at 6:41 PM, and multiple emergency groups responded to the call, according to private fire responders in the Western Cape, the Drakenstein Farm Watch (DFW).

The video pic.twitter.com/NkdVMXPBIM

— Sipiwo Manqindi (@ManqindiSi76479) September 17, 2024

In a Facebook update, the DWV announced that, fortunately, no fatalities had been reported, and rescuers successfully freed the injured passengers who had been trapped.

In a late-night statement, Metrorail Western Cape said the injured were taken by ambulance to various hospitals in the area for further medical care. Their injuries ranged from mild to serious.

Image: Arrive Alive

“Other passengers onboard were transported home. At this stage, Prasa and TFR [Transnet Freight Rail] are investigating the incident. Prasa has reported it to the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), which is in line with existing protocols.”

The cause of the derailment remains unknown at this time. Metrorail further announced the train service from Wellington to Kraaifontein had been suspended due to the derailment.

[source:citizen]