HakiPensheni

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

SURVIVORS of the train accident that occurred in Dodoma on Saturday have told stories of miraculous escape from the horrible crash, saying God's hand saved them.

A passenger train derailed after cruising on a flooded track shortly after leaving the capital city-Dodoma, killing at least three people, while 86 others sustaining injuries, officials said yesterday.

The Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) operated train was on its way to Kigoma Region from Dar es Salaam, when it derailed late Saturday at Kigwe area in Bahi District, Dodoma Region over stormy weather, authorities said.

Said Abdul, one of the survivors recalls how he jolted out of his seat in a buffet car after a sudden thud.

He recounts that before he could not understand anything, darkness spread all around and only screaming of people was heard as everything was upside down.

"I was thrown from one side to the other but I managed to get up and suddenly noticed an open window near me and I used that to get out. Thereafter, together with others, we started checking out the cause of the incident and learnt that the on-going rains have washed away railway ballast," recounted Abdul.

Mr Abdul narrates further that they also saw a railway line hanging and a hole that they suspect might have caused the accident.

"We suspect the railway inspection car did not pass here for inspection and maintenance," he said.

"I thought I wouldn't survive. I had never seen a tragedy of this scale in my life... I can't even explain but thank God we made it out safely. Near me, there was a woman desperately crying and asking for help to save her. I managed to help her and was taken to hospital, she sustained multiple injuries," recalls another survivor, Allen Mtolela.

Mr Mtolela says they heard a loud bang and after a while, the wagon started to sway and suddenly it overturned.

Currently undergoing medical treatment at the Dodoma Hospital, Mr Malale Bwana said he was asleep and heard a loud sound that woke him up.

"I don't remember how I escaped, but within seconds I was out of my coach," he said, adding that they started noting an awkward movement when the train reached Godegode in Mpwapwa District in the country's capital at mid-afternoon.

He narrated that the ongoing rains had submerged the tracks with debris forcing an unplanned stop.

"There were sands all over the rail, and when we started the journey from Kigwe, we faced the same situation," he said. He said that in Kigwe the track was flooded and rains had completely washed away railway ballast.

Vice-President Ms Samia Suluhu Hassan yesterday visited the train crash survivors at the regional hospital, where 34 injured were discharged after their medical clearance.

"This is a shocking accident," Ms Samia said. "I have been informed and from my interaction with the injured that there are no critical injuries across all the four wards at the hospital."

The Vice-President hailed the regional authorities, the medical team and the railway company for their efforts to attend to the injured.

She said the railway company and the regional authority had organised transport arrangements for the passengers to continue with their journey.

"All the patients are progressing well and I haven't noted any serious cases," she said, while directing the hospital to communicate with the government in an event of urgency.

Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital admitted 66 injured people from the Saturday train accident. Eyewitnesses and survivors said the derailment had left a horrifying zigzag of steel sliding off the track.

TRC Director-General Masanja Kadogosa told reporters the ongoing heavy rains could be the major cause of the accident but insisted a detailed investigation will be carried out to determine the actual problem.

A statement from TRC detailed that the train was carrying 720 passengers from the country's commercial city-Dar es Salaam. It said six of the 12 wagons derailed at around 6:27 pm 58kilometers from Dodoma city.

The deceased included a crew member and a child.

Dodoma Regional Referral Hospital Medical In-charge Dr Ernest Ibenzi explained that most survivors had broken limbs and that six of the victims admitted underwent minor surgeries.

"All the injured people are responding well to medication and we have already started discharging them," he said.

Home Affairs Minister George Simbachawene said a detailed assessment will help authorities determine the actual cause of the accident, even though he suggested that the ongoing rains have a share to blame.

The minister hailed the medical team in the region for a quick response to serve the lives of the injured.

TRC reported that it had dispatched a dozen buses to ferry stranded passengers to Dar es Salaam from Manyoni and the survivors travelling to Kigoma, Mwanza, Tabora and Katavi regions.