More than a dozen people were killed and hundreds were feared injured after a train struck a lorry, derailed and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday (January 4).
Footage from television news showed fire engulfing one of the train’s carriages after the accident, which occurred as it travelled between Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg.
Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi said the train, which was carrying 700 passengers, jumped the tracks after hitting the truck, which was attempting to negotiate a level crossing.
He said preliminary investigations suggested 12 people had died in the crash and 268 were injured, including four critically.
