Odisha train accident: CM Naveen Patnaik reaches Balasore

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday arrived at Balsore in the State, the site of last night’s mishap involving three trains in which the death toll this morning had gone up to 238 and over 900 injured.
On Friday evening around 7 pm around 10-12 coaches of the Chennai-bound Coromandel Express derailed when it collided with a goods train and fell on an adjacent track near near Balasore. Another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah then collided into the deralied coaches of the Coromandel Express. Earlier today, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reached the accident spot and ordered a a detailed high-level inquiry into the mishap.
“A detailed high-level inquiry will be conducted and the rail safety commissioner will also do an independent inquiry,” Vaishnaw said.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of Education and Skill Development, Dharmendra Pradhan also cut short his visit to Kolkata in West Bengal and left for Balasore in Odisha where several coaches of a passenger train derailed after colliding with a goods carriage.
The Odisha government has declared a day of mourning today.
Efforts are underway to cut the only bogie left which was severely damaged after the horrific train accident in Odisha’s Balasore, state Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said.
Addressing a press conference he said, “Only one bogie is left, which is severely damaged. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Service are still working to cut the bogie and try to recover the living or the dead.”
After the horrific train accident in Balasore, people queued up to donate blood for the injured.
According to Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma, the accident took place around 7 pm on Friday.
“Around 7 pm, 10-12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Baleswar and fell on the opposite track. After some time, another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah dashed into those derailed coaches resulting in the derailment of its 3-4 coaches,” Sharma told the sources.