The 4 who died were all train crew members and included the driver and his assistant on the commuter train and a steward and a security guard on the express train. There were 478 passengers onboard both trains. The collision happened around 500 meters from the Cicalengka train station in the West Java province.
The accident involved the Turangga Train (KA) (65) and the Bandung Raya Commuter Line Train (KA) (350) traveling on the Haurpugur – Cicalengka route in Bandung. The railway line has had to be temporarily closed due to the major collision. Train carriages buckled and overturned in this horrific train accident.
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The Turangga express train carrying 287 passengers was traveling from Surabaya, the capital of East Java province, when it plowed into a Bandung Raya commuter train with 191 passengers heading to Padalarang from Haurpugur station at about 6:03 am.
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) was involved in the evacuation of trains and passengers affected by the accident with subsequent efforts directed towards repairing the damaged rail lines. Operational adjustments are being made by KAI for train journeys through the Haurpugur – Cicalengka area, including detours and diversions using alternative transportation.
A video that was televised showed one carriage had plunged into a nearby rice field. Some passengers walked through the fields carrying suitcases and other items as ambulances evacuated the injured.
An investigation as to the cause of the collision is underway, and in a preliminary report it was found that the commuter train was given the go-ahead to proceed when the express train was almost at Cicalengka station. Normally, the commuter train stops at Haurpugur Station to give way to the express train before proceeding.