"We heard the train coming along the tracks when all of a sudden there was a big noise. It was really frightening," Reebok resident Engela Jordaan told Louise Karsten of Mossel Bay Advertiser, the George Herald's sister newspaper.
The train was pulling 13 wagons loaded with cement and liquid petroleum. It was the seven cement-laden wagons that derailed.
According to the Senior Manager for External Communications of Transnet, Mr Mike Asefovitz, the driver did not sustain any injuries and an investigation has been launched to identify the cause of the incident. Read more about the possible causes of the derailment on Friday in the Mossel Bay Advertiser.
Meanwhile, Pauline Lourens of the George Herald, reports that a retired engineer recently warned that the old railway line between George and Mossel Bay is in urgent need of repair. Ken Bain, of Gleniquastrand, said he feared that Transnet's safety standards were being compromised along the line. "If the railway carriages transporting PetroSA's liquid fuel were to derail, it could be catastrophic. Coastal hamlets like Gleniquastrand situated below the railway line would then stand the risk of being exposed to highly flammable substances."
Bain said not only were the wooden railway sleepers cracked, the metal sections of the railway are showing an alarming amount of deterioration. The worried Bain spoke prophetic words saying: "I don't claim to be an expert, but common sense dictates that if the trend continues, the rail track must fail. PetroSA must import LPG and convert it to fluid to survive, which pre-supposes an increase of transport of liquid fuels from Voorbaai by sea, road and hopefully rail. It may be time to refurbish the rail track to cope with the possible additional demand."
Response
Transnet officials said regular inspections were being done.
Meryl Pretorius, senior manager of corporate affairs ABL, Sentrarand, Transnet Freight Rail, (to whom Bain's photos were sent) said, "The missing bolt is noted. However, the minimum safety standard is that two of these bolts must be sound. The metal 'peeling' of the outside of the rail is completely normal. This is a by-product of metal flow under the high wheel rail forces that are exerted into the rail. The wear rates are measured every year. When the safety tolerance levels are reached, then the rail is replaced."
Highly explosive situation... The wagons carrying liquid petroleum did not fall over during the derailment. Photos: Dave van der Merwe
'We bring you the latest Garden Route news'
