A commuter train travelling from Cape Town to Wellington station derailed at Dal Josafat station in Paarl on Tuesday evening, leaving 35 people injured and others trapped.
The incident occurred around 6:41pm and prompted a swift response from emergency services.
Drakenstein Farm Watch (DFW), the private fire responders in the Western Cape, were among the first on the scene. They found over 30 people injured and several still trapped within the mangled train carriages.
"We rushed to the scene and found over 30 people injured while multiple were still trapped. We managed to rescue all passengers who were trapped in the train and no fatalities were reported," said a DFW spokesperson.
The injured were transported to various hospitals in the area for medical care, with their injuries ranging from mild to serious.
Metrorail Western Cape, in a late-night statement, confirmed the derailment and the extent of the injuries. "Other passengers onboard were transported home. At this stage, Prasa and TFR [Transnet Freight Rail] are investigating the incident. Prasa has reported it to the Railway Safety Regulator (RSR), which is in line with existing protocols."
The cause of the derailment remains unclear, but investigations are underway. The incident has led to the suspension of the train route, with commuters advised to make alternative travel arrangements.
This incident follows a similar derailment in June, where two people were injured when a goods train derailed in KwaZulu-Natal. Netcare 911 spokesperson Shawn Herbst described the scene: "When medics arrived on the scene they found that most of the cars were lying down an embankment. Two adult male occupants of the train were assessed and found to have sustained moderate injuries.”
The injured were transported to hospital by private ambulance, and the circumstances leading up to the derailment are still under investigation.
While the cause of the derailment in Paarl is yet to be determined, the incident highlights the ongoing safety concerns surrounding South Africa's rail network.
