South Africa: Hundreds Injured in Train Crash

"A seriously injured man was flown by helicopter to the hospital, and about 200 to 300 people were evacuated by ambulance to hospitals in Pretoria," he told AFP Rudi Pretorius, relief coordinator at the place of accident, Atteridgeville, about ten kilometers west of the capital.

The crash occurred shortly after 7:00 am (0500 GMT) when a train entering a station rammed from behind a convoy stopped for an unknown reason. The two convoys headed for Pretoria.

"There are twenty seriously injured, one in critical condition, the driver" of the second train, said another official emergency services, Johan Pieterse, reached by telephone by AFP.

"Most of the victims are adults, but there were a lot of children. We counted at least fifty children" among the wounded, he said.

"Both trains were full of people who went to work, and there were many children who went to school with them. Most of the children were transported to the hospital for observation," said Mr Pieterse AFP.

The driver of the second train was trapped in the wreckage of his locomotive and relief cut Taules had to evacuate.

"It has just been released," said a spokesman shortly after 9:00 am (0700 GMT), "he was trapped for almost two hours. Was in a critical condition for the moment."

Pretoria and Johannesburg, a distance of sixty miles, are served by a very old and often dilapidated commuter train, crowded at peak hours in the morning and evening.

In early December, the South African authorities announced a comprehensive plan for renewal of the commuter trains, including signing a contract for $ 4.5 billion with the French group Alstom.

"The majority of our commuters always travel like cattle on our trains," was then launched the CEO Prasa, the public agency responsible for passenger transport in South Africa, at the announcement of the signing of the contract.

The new equipment is expected to be outstanding from 2015.

Over 90% of commuter trains in South Africa have more than fifty years, the most recent dating from 1986. Their state of decay is such that they often break down between stations should be replaced much of the track and signaling system is obsolete.