15 Feb 2009

Indian train accident kills 15

6:04 am on 15 February 2009

At least 15 people were killed and 100 injured when more than a dozen coaches of a passenger express train derailed in eastern India.

The accident in the eastern state of Orissa occurred several hours after the train left Kolkata, eastern India's biggest city.

About 1,500 passengers were travelling to the southern city of Chennai when the Coromandel Express train partially derailed after dark near a remote station called Jajpur Road.

Manmohan Praharaj, the state police chief said more than 100 people were hurt and had been taken to hospitals for treatment. At least 16 coaches were derailed and overturned.

Authorities said they were deploying special trains to rescue stranded passengers.