Train Derailment: Catches fire, 10 injured

An intercity train “Rangpur Express’, derailed on Thursday following a devastating engine fire while crossing Ullapara station in Sirajganj district, 134km northwest of Dhaka.

Rail services in parts of Bangladesh including capital Dhaka were thereafter suspended after six compartments of a train derailed following.

Mofazzal Hossain, Bangladesh Railways Secretary said, “Six compartments and engine of the Rangpur Express veered off the tracks while it was passing through Ullahpara Station at around 2:15 p.m. local time.

“The accident occurred after the train’s engine caught fire due to technical glitches,’’ the official said.

Several units of Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the accident site and managed to douse the fire.

A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the incident.
Hossain, however, said they are not aware of any injuries.

Somoy TV, a leading Bangla 24-hour news television channel put the number of injured people undergoing treatment at 10 as many passengers jumped from the slow-moving train.

There are many unmanned level crossings along the Bangladesh railway across the country, where most of the railway tracks are in a dilapidated condition, these often cause accidents.
A head-on collision between two trains killed 16 people early Tuesday in Bangladesh.