Magude train disaster

Last updated
Magude train disaster
Details
Date27 March 1974
Location Magude
Coordinates 25°01′23″S32°38′53″E / 25.02306°S 32.64806°E / -25.02306; 32.64806 Coordinates: 25°01′23″S32°38′53″E / 25.02306°S 32.64806°E / -25.02306; 32.64806
Country Portuguese Mozambique
Line Lourenço Marques-Salisbury
Operator Mozambique Railways
Incident typeHead-on collision, explosion
CauseExcessive speed
Statistics
Trains2
Deaths70
Injured200

The Magude train disaster occurred on 27 March 1974 in Magude, Portuguese Mozambique, when a train carrying passengers from Rhodesia collided head-on with a Mozambican freight train, causing an explosion that killed 70 people and injured 200. At the time, it was the worst rail disaster in Mozambique's history.

Contents

Overview

In the early morning [1] or evening [2] of 27 March 1974, a southbound train carrying passengers from Rhodesia crashed head-on with a stationary northbound Mozambican freight train that was holding, among other things, petroleum products. [1] [2] [3] The crash occurred in Magude, Portuguese Mozambique, some miles north of the capital, Lourenço Marques (now Maputo). [1] [2] [3] The collision caused the petroleum products aboard the freight train to explode and shower burning oil over several coaches of the passenger train. [1] The extreme heat caused the affected cars to melt, killing the passengers inside. [1] Several passengers from the coaches that were not burning attempted to save some of the victims, but were forced to turn back due to the flames. [1]

On the day of the collision, it was reported that 60 passengers were killed. [1] [3] Several days later, police reported 70 deaths and around 200 injuries. [2] The event was believed to be the worst rail disaster in Mozambique's history, [2] later surpassed by the Tenga rail disaster with 192 deaths. President William Tolbert of Liberia sent his condolences to Mozambican Prime Minister Joaquim Chissano. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rail transport in South Africa</span>

Rail transport in South Africa is an important element of the country's transport infrastructure. All major cities are connected by rail, and South Africa's railway system is the most highly developed in Africa. The South African rail industry is publicly owned.

The railways of New South Wales, Australia have had many incidents and accidents since their formation in 1831. There are close to 1000 names associated with rail-related deaths in NSW on the walls of the Australian Railway Monument in Werris Creek. Those killed were all employees of various NSW railways. The details below include deaths of employees and the general public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magude, Maputo Province</span> Place in Maputo Province, Mozambique

Magude is a town in Maputo Province in southern Mozambique. It is the seat of Magude District.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Mozambique Crash Reported To Kill Sixty" (PDF). The New York Times. 1974-03-28. Retrieved 2017-12-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "70 Killed In Train Crash". Oxnard Press Courier. 1975-03-30. Retrieved 2017-12-24.
  3. 1 2 3 Year Book Covering the Year ... Crowell-Collier Educational Corporation. 1975. p. 225.
  4. ↑ Tolbert, William R. (1972). Presidential Papers: Concluding period of the First Administration of President William R. Tolbert, Jr., August 1, 1974-December 31, 1975. Republic of Liberia, Executive Mansion. p. 91.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.