At least four people were killed, dozens were injured and several were trapped after two trains collided late Monday in Bekasi, a city adjoining Indonesia’s capital Jakarta, officials said.
The collision occurred at Bekasi railway station between a commuter train and a long-distance train, according to Karina Amanda, spokesperson for the commuter line operator, as per a Reuters report.
She added that authorities were focusing on evacuating passengers and train crew.
Anne Purba, spokesperson for Indonesia’s railway operator, told Reuters that four people had been killed and 38 others had been taken to nearby hospitals.
“Since the evacuation is still ongoing, it is possible the number of victims could rise further, but we hope it can be completed quickly,” said Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, deputy speaker of the Indonesian parliament, who was at the scene.
He added that rescue teams were cutting through the wreckage to free at least six or seven people still trapped inside.
The cause of the collision remains unclear, Karina said. Jakarta police chief Asep Edi Suheri stated that the investigation was ongoing.
Rescuers were seen using angle grinders to cut through the mangled metal of train carriages where some commuters were still trapped but visibly alive.
At least 20 ambulances were present at Bekasi station, along with teams from Indonesia’s national rescue agency assisting in the evacuation.
According to Indonesia’s state-owned railway company PT Kereta Api, nearly 38 passengers were taken to hospitals for treatment.
Meanwhile, rail accidents have affected Indonesia. In January 2024, two trains collided in West Java province, killing at least four people.
Similarly, in October 2013, a passenger train slammed into a minibus at an unguarded crossing in West Java, killing 13 people.
