Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Trains collide en route to capital

Trains collide en route to capital

A passenger and freight train crashed into each other in Sihanoukville province yesterday. Photo supplied
A passenger and freight train crashed into each other in Sihanoukville province yesterday. Photo supplied

Trains collide en route to capital

Three people suffered slight injuries after a passenger train crashed into a stationary freight train carrying petroleum in Preah Sihanouk on Saturday, in what police attributed to a brake failure - a claim flatly denied by the Royal Railways company.

The accident comes just a week after King Norodom Sihamoni and the Queen Mother travelled by train to Sihanoukville for New Year’s Day, and in the wake of a freight train derailment in Kandal in late November.

Uong Vuthy, Veal Renh commune police chief, said the train transporting oil had pulled over at a sub-station in Veal Renh commune, Prey Nub district, to let a Sihanoukville-bound train pass through, when another passenger train bound for Phnom Penh rear-ended it.

“The passenger train hit another train from behind and caused damage to one carriage of the train carrying oil, and the head of the passenger train was damaged as well,” Vuthy said.

“Both trains belonged to the same company, which is Royal Railways.”

Train attendant Sau Sophal, 38, received only minor injuries in the crash, as did two foreign passengers who did not give their names to police.

According to Seng Chamroeun, Prey Nub district deputy police chief in charge of traffic, the incident occurred at 9am.

Chamroeun said according to the train operator, Yu Kemsan, 50, the crash was partly caused by technical difficulties.

“I had slowed down, but the rail is on a slope and the brake of my train did not work well and caused the accident to happen,” Chamroeun quoted Kemsan as saying.

However, Royal Railways Cambodia CEO John Guiry denied there had been any issue with the brakes.

“It’s certainly nothing to do with brake failure,” he said yesterday. “Absolutely we’re concerned [about this], it’s not the image we want and it’s not right. We spend a lot of time putting safety measures in place.”

Guiry said he was compiling a report from GPS data and video footage of the crash, but was unable to be reached last night to provide the exact reason for the crash.

Both Chan Samleng, director of the Transport Ministry’s railway department, and ministry spokesman Ly Borin said they had not yet received an official report from the company explaining the accident’s cause.

“We will wait for the report from Royal Railways about the reasons of the crash if the accident was caused by the brake problem, we will urge the company to fix the problem to ensure the safety of our passengers,” Borin said.

Ho Vandy, of Cambodia’s National Tourism Alliance, said the latest crash on the passenger line - which restarted after a long hiatus last year - was “a very big concern for tourists and for the passengers”.

“Even a small crash gives a bad image the train just started to operate, so why did this happen?” he said. “We would like to see the strengthening of the safety and security on board; this is a priority.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Manet touches down in Beijing for high-level meetings

    Prime Minister Hun Manet arrived in Beijing on September 14 for his first official visit to China, where he is slated to attend the 20th China-ASEAN Expo and meet other leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Upon his arrival, Manet laid a wreath at the Monument

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former