Train Crash In Pretoria, South Africa: Over 100 Casualties In Collision

UPDATE: 5:25 a.m. EST - Solly Msimanga, mayor of Tshwane, Pretoria, offered his condolences to the families of those died in the South African train crash.

UPDATE: 4:35 a.m. EST - According to the latest update, four people were confirmed dead in the train crash at Mountain View, Pretoria. Solly Msimanga, mayor of Tshwane, Pretoria, visited the crash site, where he talked with the authorities and evaluated the scene.

UPDATE: 4 a.m. EST - The EMS tweeted that the death toll from the train collision at Mountain View, Pretoria, in South Africa, has increased to three people, while several others suffered various injuries. One critically injured person was airlifted from the crash site.

According to EMS acting chief Charles Mabaso, the number of fatalities can go up further as responders scan the site.

“The count has not been finalized. We have emergency services that have responded to the incident and it is currently being managed by the emergency services,” he said, Eyewitness News reported.

Original story:

Two trains collided at Mountain View station in Pretoria, South Africa, on Tuesday, leaving at least one dead and several injured, according to initial reports.

"I can confirm that there is a train collision in Mountain View and a number of commuters are injured. We have one fatality confirmed by the EMS [Emergency medical services]," Lillian Mofokeng, a spokesperson for commuter rail operator Metrorail, said, News 24 reported.

Emergency responders tweeted, putting the number of injured between 100 and 150.

According to Mirror Online, there were still a couple of people trapped inside the train carriages which derailed on impact. Photos from the scene showed scores of people lying on the ground, awaiting medical attention, as emergency services rushed to help them.

A local newspaper Volksblad reported, “Many apparently injured after trains collide in Pretoria.”

Journalist Yusuf Abramjee said that while some of the affected were being treated at the scene, several others were transported to nearby hospitals.

This is a developing story.