Rayagada: A major tragedy was averted after a goods train hit an ambulance crossing a railway track near Kanipai in Odisha’s Rayagada district on Monday.
Sources said the mishap took place when the ambulance was carrying patients from Kalyansinghpur block in Rayagada to a hospital for eye surgery.
According to East Coast Railway (ECoR), the incident occurred between Sikarpai and Balumaska station near Kanjamjodi on the Koraput-Rayagada line, when the ambulance unauthorisedly crossing the railway track, was hit by the goods train.
The ambulance was carrying eight patients along with the driver and an ASHA worker. No injury to anyone was reported in the accident.
The vigilant loco pilot promptly applied the emergency brake, preventing a major mishap by bringing the train to a halt, ECoR said in a statement.
Fortunately, all patients and the driver had already evacuated the ambulance before the collision, and no injuries were reported, it said.
Notably, the area had been securely fenced off on November 3, 2024, but the fencing was illegally removed by villagers, leading to this unfortunate trespassing. The Railways have taken serious note of the incident and have filed a case against the violation.
Trespassing on railway tracks is a serious offense and poses grave risks to life and safety. The Railways urge the public to strictly adhere to safety regulations and avoid unauthorised crossings to prevent such incidents in the future, it added.
