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3rd LD Writethru: 5 killed, 100 injured as train falls into canal in E. Pakistan

Xinhua, July 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

At least five people were killed, over 100 others injured and scores went missing when four compartments of a train fell into a canal while crossing a bridge in Pakistan's east city of Gujranwala on Thursday afternoon, local media and officials said.

Aaj TV said that the compartments were carrying over 200 passengers when they fall into the stream.

Railway Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique said that the bridge collapsed when the train was crossing it in Janki Chatta area of Gujranwala, a district located in the country's Punjab province.

He said that the possibility of terrorist attack behind the attack cannot be ruled out as there was no apparent fault in the train or the bridge.

He said that another passenger train crossed bridge in the morning and at that time it was intact and fully functional.

The minister said that he has formed an inquiry committee to probe into the incident, adding he himself is on the way to the incident site for monitoring the rescue work.

Railway sources said that the train had 21 cargo and six passenger compartments out of which four fell into the canal.

Dunya TV said that the train was shifting cargo of Pakistan army from Kharian cantonment city to Pano Aqil city.

The report also said that about 20 to 30 people including soldiers and their families are stranded in a compartment which couldn't be opened yet.

Rescue teams from the army are using cutters and other machines to open the compartment, said the report.

The injured passengers have been shifted to military hospital of the city.

Pakistani army, residents and government rescue teams are taking part in the operation to pull out the stranded people from the canal.

Two helicopters and a crane of the army are also taking part in the rescue operation.

A relief train carrying medical staff and technical has been dispatched from Lahore city to the incident site.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed concerns over the incident and directed the officials with Pakistan Railways to reach at the site.

He also directed the officials to repair the track in the quickest possible way to restore the railway traffic. Endi