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N0KFQ > TODAY 20.08.10 22:16l 51 Lines 2192 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Today in History - Aug 20
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From: N0KFQ@N0KFQ.#SWMO.MO.USA.NA
To : TODAY@WW
Aug 20, 1995:
Trains collide and explode in India
A collision between two trains in northern India kills 358
people on this day in 1995. It was the worst train accident in
the country’s history, eclipsing a deadly 1981 accident. Both of
the killer crashes involved cows. Due to the special
significance of the cow in the Hindu religion, the animals are
permitted to roam freely throughout India; occasionally, this
can cause serious problems. The rail disaster on this day in
1995 at Firozabad was partially caused by a cow, but was also a
result of problems with India’s rail system.
Travel by train in India is extremely cheap by international
standards--people can travel hundreds of miles for only a few
dollars. Of course, this means that the unreserved coach cars
are overcrowded, the trains are tightly scheduled and safety
procedures are not always followed faithfully.
On August 20, 1995, these factors culminated in tragedy. At
approximately 2 a.m., the Kalindi Express, headed to New Delhi,
hit a cow on the tracks near Firozabad, about 185 miles
southeast of its destination. None of the 900 passengers were
hurt, but the train’s brakes were damaged by the collision and
it could not continue the journey. Lai Sharman, the local
signalman, failed to stop the next express train coming through
on the tracks, which may have been only minutes behind the
Kalindi Express—dangerously close.
The Pureshotham Express from Puri, with 1,300 mostly sleeping
passengers onboard, came down the tracks at full speed with no
warning that the Kalindi was fully stopped in front of it. Six
cars on each of the trains virtually exploded on impact.
Survivors said that there were bodies and body parts thrown
everywhere. The next morning, cranes and heavy equipment were
brought in to find all the bodies under the wreckage. In
addition to the 358 people who lost their lives, another 400
were seriously injured.
Signalman Sharma disappeared and was never found. No major
changes were made to the rail system in India following this
disaster.
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