Train rams into faulty vehicle parked near rail line at Alajo

A Tema-bound train from Accra ran into a faulty vehicle parked dangerously close to a rail line near a mechanic shop at Alajo on Tuesday.

The Area Civil Engineer for Accra, Zaphanea Asante Akuffo told Citi News that there was nothing the train driver could have done to avoid the truck.

“When he got there, it was too late for him to have slowed down for the car to have moved so whilst turning into the curve, it [the train] hit the car.”

A mechanical engineer will run an estimate on the cost of damage to the train, Mr. Akuffo said.

“It will be given to the owner of the mechanic shop. He will have to incur the cost [of the damage].”

The engineer further urged residents to be cautious of buffer zones near train tracks.

“They shouldn’t be close to the track. That is why we have given the allowable space of 50 feet. Just stay outside the 50 feet. It shouldn’t be inside.”

“It [the train] is a machine we are working with. It can develop a fault at any time. It can derail at any time,” he added.