At least 10 people were injured when a train carriage
derailed near Bellville Railway Station on Friday morning.
The train was on its way to Cape Town from Strand when the
incident happened at 07:54, says Metrorail’s spokesperson, Riana Scott.
“Commuters sustained light injuries when they jumped out of
the carriage in panic – all were treated by emergency services.”
She said Platform 11 at Bellville station is closed while
on-site investigations are in progress.
“The incident compounded delays on the northern line. Delays
currently are longer than 60 minutes due to the incident and signal equipment
failure on the approach to Cape Town station.”
Werner Vermaak, spokesperson for ER24, says they arrived on
the scene at around 08:15 along with numerous other emergency services
including Metro EMS and the police.
“Five passengers were found near the platform and another
five were found on the far side of the tracks. Upon assessment, paramedics
found they had sustained scrapes and bruises while one person had sustained a
moderate injury to her knee.”
The injured were transported to Karl Bremer and Tygerberg
hospitals for further care.
“The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are not
yet known. Local railway authorities attended the scene and will conduct an
investigation,” Vermaak said.
Richard Walker, regional manager of Metrorail, confirmed
that every attempt will be made to clear the line as soon as possible.
“Bellville is a strategic station on our northern network;
fortunately we have several lines and platforms where trains can be re-directed
to. We advise customers to listen to public address announcements for platform
changes.”
Scott advised commuters to consult Metrorail’s passenger
information channels for updates and service alerts.
“Those registered to receive short message alerts are
requested to kindly share the information with fellow commuters.”
