FAISALABAD, Aug 19: Four people, including the driver and fireman of the Badar Express, were killed and four others were injured when the train hit a truck at an unmanned level crossing near Chak 153, Sahianwala, in the limits of Chak Jhumra town on Friday morning.

Reports said that the 110-Down Badar Express had left Faisalabad for Lahore in the morning. Near Chak 153, just two kilometres away from the Sahianwala railway station, it hit a stationary truck, loaded with crush-stone, at an unmanned crossing.

Train driver Nawaz, fireman Abdul Khaliq, passenger Khalid Mahmood (who was sitting in the driver’s cabin) and truck cleaner Mastan Ahmad died on the spot. Another truck cleaner Abbas Ali and train passengers Mohammad Ali, Shakoor and Ali Azmat sustained injuries.

Eyewitnesses said the truck had developed some fault and stopped exactly in the middle of the level crossing. On seeing the train, its driver Azhar jumped down and fled from the scene, without waking cleaners who were asleep in the truck.