An independent investigation by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has revealed that a defective signalling system was responsible for an accident between two Metrorail trains in Johannesburg on Friday that left 239 passengers injured‚ at least 100 of them seriously.
No fatalities were reported in the crash‚ which occurred between Booysens and Crown stations during the peak period at about 6 pm on Friday evening.
According to the regulator‚ one of the trains was stationery at a red signal just before Crown Station at the time of the collision. The second train departed from Booysens Station. The signals were yellow for the second train‚ which indicated that it should proceed with caution as the subsequent signal would be red.
“During the investigation‚ the RSR discovered that the stationary train was not amply protected due to a defective signalling system. The signals which were supposed to protect train 9934 (the one travelling from Booysens) were observed to be yellow‚ when instead‚ it should have been red. This resulted in the rear-end collision between the two trains‚ where 239 people were injured‚” the regulator said in a statement.
All the injured were referred to the nearest hospitals for medical attention. Some‚ including the driver of the second train‚ have already been discharged. The collision also resulted in the derailment of some of the coaches‚ as well as minor damage to infrastructure‚ RSR said.
“The RSR is of the view that the defective signalling system in the section between Kazerne and New Canada Stations is an immediate threat to safe railway operations. The RSR has therefore taken the decision to issue a Prohibition Directive with immediate effect on the utilisation of the signaling system as a primary mode of train protection. The Prohibition is issued under Section 36 of the National Railway Safety Regulator Act‚ 2002 (Act 16‚ 2002 as amended)‚” the regulator stated.
It added that the rail service PRASA would also have to submit an assessment report to the RSR on the integrity of the signaling system in the entire Gauteng region.
“The assessment should be conducted by an independent competent individual.”
The Prohibition Directive for Kazerne to New Canada Station would only be lifted once PRASA demonstrated to the RSR’s satisfaction that the immediate threats had been addressed‚ the RSR said.
It added that it would issue a preliminary report by the close of business on Monday.
“Furthermore‚ the RSR will also conduct an independent Board of Inquiry to establish the root cause as well as to produce a report with findings and recommendations.”
Defective signalling system to blame for train crash‚ probe finds
An independent investigation by the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR) has revealed that a defective signalling system was responsible for an accident between two Metrorail trains in Johannesburg on Friday that left 239 passengers injured‚ at least 100 of them seriously.
No fatalities were reported in the crash‚ which occurred between Booysens and Crown stations during the peak period at about 6 pm on Friday evening.
According to the regulator‚ one of the trains was stationery at a red signal just before Crown Station at the time of the collision. The second train departed from Booysens Station. The signals were yellow for the second train‚ which indicated that it should proceed with caution as the subsequent signal would be red.
“During the investigation‚ the RSR discovered that the stationary train was not amply protected due to a defective signalling system. The signals which were supposed to protect train 9934 (the one travelling from Booysens) were observed to be yellow‚ when instead‚ it should have been red. This resulted in the rear-end collision between the two trains‚ where 239 people were injured‚” the regulator said in a statement.
All the injured were referred to the nearest hospitals for medical attention. Some‚ including the driver of the second train‚ have already been discharged. The collision also resulted in the derailment of some of the coaches‚ as well as minor damage to infrastructure‚ RSR said.
“The RSR is of the view that the defective signalling system in the section between Kazerne and New Canada Stations is an immediate threat to safe railway operations. The RSR has therefore taken the decision to issue a Prohibition Directive with immediate effect on the utilisation of the signaling system as a primary mode of train protection. The Prohibition is issued under Section 36 of the National Railway Safety Regulator Act‚ 2002 (Act 16‚ 2002 as amended)‚” the regulator stated.
It added that the rail service PRASA would also have to submit an assessment report to the RSR on the integrity of the signaling system in the entire Gauteng region.
“The assessment should be conducted by an independent competent individual.”
The Prohibition Directive for Kazerne to New Canada Station would only be lifted once PRASA demonstrated to the RSR’s satisfaction that the immediate threats had been addressed‚ the RSR said.
It added that it would issue a preliminary report by the close of business on Monday.
“Furthermore‚ the RSR will also conduct an independent Board of Inquiry to establish the root cause as well as to produce a report with findings and recommendations.”
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