Truck driver 'was taking chances' in Kroonstad crash - transport minister
Bloemfontein – The truck driver, who collided with a train in a deadly crash near Kroonstad on Thursday morning in which 14 people died, "was taking chances", Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi said on Thursday afternoon.
"He thought he was going to pass through," Maswanganyi said at a briefing held at the accident scene, which was broadcast by eNCA.
"Little did he know that the train was going to hit him, [which] has cost many lives."
Maswanganyi, who was attending the funeral of a former Free State department of transport head in the area, rushed to the scene after the accident.
He said 14 people have been confirmed dead and 268 people were injured. However, he added that the number was expected to increase.
"We don't know, after we have completed our investigation, as to how many fatalities [we would] have discovered," Maswanganyi said.
He said the identities of the deceased would be released later.
"We also want to [send] a message of condolence to the families of the deceased. We can't, for now, confirm as to who those passengers [are]."
Also read: Death toll in Free State train crash rises to 12, rescuers search for more bodies
Maswanganyi said the injured were being treated at hospitals in Welkom, Virginia and Kroonstad.
Out of the injured, four people were in a critical condition.
He said the passengers, who had not been admitted to hospitals, had been taken to Johannesburg - the train's final destination - by bus.
"We want to [send] a message of gratitude to the business people around here who have come to provide food, water and other services to our passengers," Maswanganyi added.
"We also want to [send] a message of gratitude to local people who have come to assist our medical staff, our police services [and] traffic officials to rescue passengers who were in those coaches.
"We are quite happy about what our people have done so far."
Kroonstad crash: Search and Rescue operations halted
Bloemfontein – Search and rescue operations for passengers involved in a deadly train, truck and car collision near Kroonstad on Thursday morning have been suspended until heavy-duty machinery arrives from Mafikeng, the Free State health department said.
Departmental spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said all the passengers who survived the accident have been removed from the scene.
"The availability of the extra heavy-duty machinery can only help to recover the dead who might be trapped in the carriages," Mvambi told News24.
While Mvambi said that 14 people died and 180 people were injured in the accident, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) CEO Nathi Khena said 18 fatalities have been counted.
Speaking to eNCA, Khena said one of the saddest parts of the accident was the fact that people died as a result of being trapped inside carraiges that burnt out.
"It means is that they couldn't escape the train that had derailed and, as a result, they [were] then [burnt] to death and this is very tragic," Khena said.
"We (Prasa) would never forget this incident and we are going to do all in our power to make sure that justice is done for our commuters."Khena said the heavy-duty machinery was set to arrive within 36 hours to restore the railway line's service to normal.
On Thursday afternoon, Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi said the truck driver, who collided with the train, "was taking chances".
"He thought he was going to pass through," Maswanganyi said at a briefing held at the accident scene, which was broadcast by eNCA.
"Little did he know that the train was going to hit him, [which] has cost many lives."
Maswanganyi, who was attending the funeral of a former Free State department of transport head in the area, said the identities of the deceased would be released later.
"We also want to [send] a message of condolence to the families of the deceased. We can't, for now, confirm as to who those passengers [are]."
