Monday, December 21, 2009

Train accident in Kibera

At least four people are confirmed dead after a cargo trained derailed in the sprawling Kibera slums and fell on houses.

Several people are believed trapped in the debris.

The train headed for Kampala Uganda was loaded with cooking oil when it came of the rails and crashed onto buildings.

The cause of the derailment was not immediately known.

Officials from the St. John's Ambulance rushed to the scene and began evacuating the injured.

Police however had a hectic time trying to control the surging crowd that had begun looting the cooking oil from the containers.

Meanwhile the Prime Minister Raila Odinga has sent his condolences to families caught in the train accident.

"It is my hope that the authorities will investigate the circumstances of this tragedy, but heart goes out to the families of those who lost loved ones, and I wish a speedy recovery to the injured," the PM said.

The PM at the same time called for thorough investigations into accident and other train derailments that have taken place around Kibera saying they are becoming too common.

"Both the Government and RVR must look at the operations, maintenance and the tracks of this rail system, the PM said.

The PM said there appears to be a glaring safety failure in the whole rail system.

"Whether human error or system malfunction - and it raises serious questions."We must investigate this accident until we determine why this happened and what must be done to ensure it never happens again and I ask the company to fully cooperate," Mr Odinga said

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