You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
India-Pakistan
12 killed as Pakistani train passengers electrocuted
2007-01-29
(Xinhua) -- At least 12 people were electrocuted while scores of others injured when people sitting on roof of a crowded passenger train were hit by an overhead power line on Sunday in southern Pakistani city of Shikarpur, the private Geo TV reported. The train with hundreds of people on board was heading southeast from Jacobabad to Rohri to join a Muharram mourning procession.

Many of the passengers were sitting on roof of the train, when an electric wire fell on the train near a rail crossing...
Many of the passengers were sitting on roof of the train, when an electric wire fell on the train near a rail crossing in Shikarpur, some 380 km northeast of Karachi, the capital of south province Sindh. Initial reports say at least 12 persons died and dozens of others injured in the incident, said the television report. The train was stopped after the incident, and those injured have been rushed to local hospitals. The fatalities and injuries were caused as people were either electrocuted or tossed off the top of the moving train after they were hit by the high voltage power line, said the report.
Posted by:Fred

#9  I"ve seen pictures of a train in that area with literaly thousangs of people hanging all over every available inch outside and top

I know the picture. It is from Bangladesh, and the train was transporting pilgrims back from a religious event.
Posted by: john   2007-01-29 16:04  

#8  Shocking story. So, those that were killed or injured got promoted to conductor. Nice!
Posted by: Chuck Darwin   2007-01-29 12:13  

#7  As bad as the commuter rail is...it isn't this bad.
Posted by: tu3031   2007-01-29 11:46  

#6  Inshallah.
Posted by: imoyaro   2007-01-29 11:33  

#5  The Yahoo news story on this includes the following additional info on why the "electric wire fell on the train".

Many of the passengers sitting on the train's roof were Shiite Muslims who were traveling to attend a religious gathering, said Ahmed Khan, a railroad official in Sukkur. Khan said the train was crowded and those who could not get inside clambered to the roof.

Some of those on the roof carried religious flags and other symbols that apparently struck the overhead electricity line, he said.

If you're sitting on the roof of an electric train, stay away from the guys with the flags on long poles.
Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412   2007-01-29 10:09  

#4  No word on the flash-fried goat.
Posted by: Excalibur   2007-01-29 09:27  

#3  I"ve seen pictures of a train in that area with literaly thousangs of people hanging all over every available inch outside and top, wherever they could get a fingerhold. I always wondered if the railways had any tunnels to scrape off all those "hobos", there"s no way they would fit between the train and the tunnel walls.
Posted by: Redneck Jim   2007-01-29 09:23  

#2  "passengers"
Posted by: Frank G   2007-01-29 08:14  

#1  Please clear the platform, frieght and baggage areas. Boarding ladders at the ready please. The
the Shikapur Shocker will be arriving momentarily.
Posted by: Besoeker   2007-01-29 04:21  

00:00