Vigilance prevents major train accident

A major accident was averted by engine drivers who acted swiftly and stopped the trains which were travelling on the same track and were heading for a collision near the Gintota railway station last morning, due to the presence of mind by the gate keeper.

The express train leading to Matara from Kandy and the Rajarata Regina express train bound to Anuradhapura from Matara which were on the same track were halted with a gap of few feet at the Gintota railway station.

The driver of the Rajarata Regina express train M.D.K. Kumarasiri sensed an imminent accident as the gate keeper was running with a red flag and the people on the Piyadigama flyover started shouting.

Kumarasiri immediately applied the brakes.The engine driver of the other express has not adhered to signals and passed the red signals too.

The driver, guard, driver's assistant and guard's assistant were ordered to be interdicted by the General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways B.A.P. Ariyaratne after the incident was informed to the Railway headquarters. A team of engineers were also dispatched to Galle for further investigations yesterday. A Railways Department official told the Daily News, that the guard of the train can apply brakes only if the driver goes against the signal.

"Preliminary investigations have revealed that engine driver and the guard were at fault and they have not adhered to the signals,"he said.

Train services between Galle and Matara came to standstill as the track has been damaged due to the sudden application of brakes.