300 injured in South Africa train collision

Johannesburg (IANS): At least 300 people have been injured in a train collision in Kempton Park city in South Africa.

"About 300 people were injured, commuters suffered serious, but not critical injuries," the Gauteng Metrorail spokesperson Lillian Mofokeng said on Thursday night, Xinhua news agency reported.

The accident occurred when one train rear-ended another train that was faulty and stationary at Van Riebeeck Park Station in Kempton Park, South African media outlet News24 reported.

By 11.30 p.m. (South African time), there were no fatalities, Xinhua reported.

According to the Metrorail spokesperson, the train became faulty and collided with another stationary train.

The injured commuters were sent to several local hospitals.

Meanwhile, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa said an inquiry would be set up to find out the cause of the accident and promised to work with other agencies to look into the accident.

"Metrorail technical teams will be working around the clock to recover the site. The cost of the accident is still unknown at this stage," Mofokeng added.

Some of the commuters proceeded to their destination on another train which was made available.

In September, over 100 passengers were injured after a collision between Metrorail's two passenger trains in the south of Johannesburg.