HYDERABAD, Feb 10: At least 17 containers and an engine of two goods trains of the Pakistan Railways (PR) were badly damaged in an accident between the Meting and Bholari railway stations in Thatta district, about 27 km from Hyderabad district, on Friday, causing a loss in millions of rupees to the PR. However, no casualty was reported.

At 12:40pm a powerful explosion was heard when the goods train rammed into some stationary oil wagons as a result of which the containers caught fire immediately. A thick cloud of smoke could be seen all around. Six of the wagons were reduced to ashes.

Personnel of the Pakistan army, Rangers and police rushed to the spot and cordoned off the site of the accident.

Preliminary findings by railway officials revealed that the engineer rammed his train into some stationary wagons, containing furnace oil, as he was driving too fast and could not apply the brakes on time. The engine and containers containing chemicals immediately caught fire on hitting those containing oil.

“A 400ft-wide area of the track has been damaged,” a railway official told Dawn while hinting at the possibility of the track being cleared of debris by midnight if the work continued without any hindrance.

Fire tenders had to be called from Kotri and Nooriabad. Special fire extinguishers were obtained from the Pakistan army.

The site of the accident is in Thatta district in the limits of the Jherruk police station but not a single official had arrived there by 8:30pm. However, Brigadier Sheerazullah Chaudhri, Col Tariq of the Qasim Rangers, RPO Bachal Sangri, DCO Jamshoro Mohammad Khawar Jamil and DPO Attaullah Chandio had arrived there soon after the accident. Railway officials from Karachi and Kotri also rushed to the spot.

It was learnt that engineer Shafiq had been detained. However, railway officials were unable to explain as to how the train was allowed to move on the same track on which the wagons were stationed.

The chief controller (operations), PR, Ateeq Ahmed, said: “Only an investigation can determine the cause of the accident. Each goods trains consisted of 52 containers.”

PASSENGERS STRANDED: Railway traffic for both up and down country came to an abrupt halt immediately after the accident. No trains were moving to and fro from Karachi. Passengers remain stranded at all railway stations.