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CAPE TOWN - Nineteen farm workers were killed yesterday when their truck collided with a commuter train at a railway crossing in South Africa, officials said.
"Casualties included 19 people, including the truck driver -- who died at the scene -- 11 of whom were men and eight women," Leonard Ramatlakane, acting premier for the Western Cape province, said at a press conference today.
The accident, which injured 12 others, occurred shortly after 5.00am GMT (4.00pm NZT) when the truck carrying the workers was crossing the tracks near the Eerste River station outside Faure, about 25 km east of Cape Town.
The force of the collision pushed the truck hundreds of metres down the line and flung occupants into the air, according to Peter Hodkinson, a doctor who helped treat the injured at the crash site.
"There was a lot of body parts strewn around," Hodkinson said.
Ramatlakane said reports that the truck had stalled at the crossing shortly before the accident were irresponsible and declined to speculate on the cause of the crash. He said the government and police would launch investigations.
Metrorail, train operator for the state-owned South African Rail Commuter Corp., said six passengers aboard the train sustained minor injuries. Rail services on the line were suspended after the accident.
Metrorail in the Western Cape manages the largest chunk of commuter train line in the country -- 370 kilometres of a total network of 1,150 kilometres of railway and 478 stations.
South Africa has set aside billions of rand to upgrade an extensive passenger railway system that is marked by old rolling stock, neglected infrastructure and obsolete equipment of more than 100 years old.
In 2003 an accident along the same railway line claimed the lives of ten people and injured scores of others.
- REUTERS
