21 May 2011

More than 850 injured in Soweto train crash

10:00 am on 21 May 2011

More than 850 people were injured, some seriously, when two commuter trains collided in the evening rush hour in the township of Soweto outside Johannesburg, South Africa.

A commuter train hit a stationary one from behind, at 5.50pm on Thursday.

No fatalities were reported. Officials say almost all of the injured were treated at the scene. However, the BBC reports 25 are still in hospital.

The Metrorail train was travelling between Mzimhlophe and Phomolong in Soweto.

More than two million passengers travel daily on commuter trains in South Africa.

Metrorail told the BBC that 857 people were injured in the incident.