BAHAWALPUR: The guard of a goods train suffered injuries when its locomotive and six wagons derailed at Kalanchwala Railway Station on Sammsatta-Dera Nawab Sahib section, about 25km from here, on Monday.

According to railway officials, the goods train laden with urea, heading for Lahore from Karachi, was signalled on loop line of the Kalanchwala Railway Station in the early hours of Monday.

They said that either because of the driver’s failure to apply brakes or mistake of the point man, the train overshot and collided with the dead end at the railway station, resulting in the derailment of its engine and six wagons.

The train’s guard, who was in his cabin at the time of the accident, suffered injuries, while the driver and other staff remained unhurt, the officials said.

The derailed wagons fell onto the main Lahore-Karachi track, causing apprehension among the the railway officials concerned regarding disruption of the traffic on the main line.However, a relief train, rushed from Sammsatta, after lifting the derailed wagons cleared the main Lahore-Karachi railway track due to which the railway traffic kept running smoothly.

A railway official, not to be named, said an inquiry into the incident would be initiated.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2023