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Kimberley: One dies, two injured after locomotive smashes into freight train

───   MARK STEENBOK 06:52 Sat, 20 Aug 2016

  Kimberley: One dies, two injured after locomotive smashes into freight train | News Article
Photo: Supplied

Kimberley - The United National Transport Union (UNTU) says it will offer support to the family of the train driver who tragically lost his life, after a diesel locomotive crashed into a freight train and burst into flames in Kimberley on Thursday.


Steve Harris, the General Secretary of UNTU, says Alexander Flemming, together with Jan Swanepoel and train assistant Neo Jason Witkoei, were on their way from Rosmead to Beaconsfield at the time of the accident. 

He says they were waiting for about five minutes for a signal for the go-ahead from the train controller, when the locomotive came bearing down on them at a high speed. 

Witkoei managed to jump from the train, before the diesel locomotive exploded on impact. Harris says Swanepoel was laying on the grass next to the train after the explosion, while Flemming could not escape in time.

Harris said that the diesel locomotive did not appear to have any occupants.

“The control system was out of order, so they were working manually. It is one of those tragic unfortunate accidents that has happened. It is too early to put any blame on any specific  person or persons. The internal processes will take its course and we will assist the family (Flemming) where possible during this very trying time,” Harris says.

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