Twelve passengers including seven children were killed and 46 others injured when a private bus collided with a train at Sevanapitiya, Polonnaruwa yesterday morning.
A would-be mother, who was also travelling in the bus, gave birth to the baby soon after the accident. Unfortunately both mother and baby were unable to survive.
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| People looking at the ill-fated bus which was a total wreck (above) and the damaged locomotive (below). |
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The passengers numbering 70 included children of Al-Hizma nursery in Valaichchenai and their parents who were on a trip from Valaichchenai to Kandy when the bus met with the accident after the driver tried to speed past the rail gate ignoring the signals.
The bus was flung 200 metres away on impact and caught fire after the collision with the train which comprised fuel bowsers and passenger carriages heading from Gal-oya to Batticaloa. The train engine suffered extensive damage.
Of 26 children, seven succumbed to injuries caused by the accident and burns.
According to eye-witnesses the bus driver had ignored the warning signal and tried to get past the level crossing before the train reached the spot.
They also stated that most of the deaths were caused due to serious burn injuries.
The injured were immediately rushed to the Polonnaruwa general hospital and the Welikanda Government hospital.
Dr. Ajith Priyantha, acting medical superintendent of the Polonnaruwa general hospital told The Sunday Times said that 46 injured persons were brought to the hospital.
“Among the injured 14 were males and the others were females. There were 17 children among the injured,” he said.
He said that three of the injured would be transferred to the Kandy Teaching Hospital or the Colombo National Hospital due to their condition being critical. |
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