Philippines
Philippines

MRT-3 train derailed, injuries reported

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MRT-3 train derailed, injuries reported
(2nd UPDATE) A train of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) is derailed at the Taft Avenue station in Pasay City
MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) –  A Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) train went past its barrier at the terminal’s Taft station Wednesday, August 13, injuring several passengers and causing a post to fall over a car. 
A passenger told dzBB the problems began in the Magallanes station, when the train air-conditioning went off. “May nag-start so nag-panic kami. Umandar [yung train] pero walang aircon,” the passengers said. (We started panicking. The train was still working but there was no air-conditioning.) 
The passenger said as the train approached Taft station, the door opened and passengers started to panic. Another passenger who was interviewed on the radio station said they wanted to alight the train but they were not allowed. 
According to media reports, the train hit a post which in turn fell on a car. 
The front part of the first coach of the train is reserved for pregnant women, women with small children, and the elderly; the first coach is for women. One and a half coaches went past the barrier.
DOTC-MRT3 issued an advisory on its official Twitter account, citing a “technical problem.”
“Advisory: We are currently undergoing necessary intervention for the technical problem encountered. We apologize for the inconvenience TY,” it tweeted at around 4:27 pm.
‘TECHNICAL GLITCH.’ One and a half coaches of the MRT train breach the barrier of the Taft Station in Pasay City, injuring some of its passengers, on August 13, 2014. Photo by Joel Leporada/Rappler

Speaking to media, Pasay city chief of police Senior Superintendent Florencio Ortilla said police were starting to secure the area and to make sure people would not panic. The Taft station is typically the site of heavy vehicular and human traffic and is where the MRT-3 and LRT-1 lines meet. 

Injured passengers were being brought to the Pasay City General Hospital and the San Juan de Dios Hospital. As of 4:34 pm, media reports said passengers were still being rescued from inside the train. 

Watch scenes from the aftermath below.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that its rescuers and enforcers are on site, and advised motorists to “expect heavy traffic” in the area.

Here are updates posted on social media.

Gov’t to probe mishap

Malacañang said the government would determine the cause of the mishap, the worst accident involving the train system.

“Kailangang gawin ang nararapat para tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng mga pasahero at mga mamamayan, kasama na ang pagtunton sa dahilan kung bakit naganap ang paglampas ng bagon sa riles,” Palace Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr said in a statement.

(We have to do the what is necessary to ensure the safety of the passengers and the citizenry, including determining why the coaches were derailed.) 

Prior to Wednesday’s derailment, the last accident suffered by MRT passengers was on March 26, 2014, when an MRT train made an abrupt stop, causing minor injuries to 8 passengers, due to a lapse on the train driver’s part. (READ: Driver lapse causes MRT 3 accident) – With reports from Bea Cupin/Rappler.com

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