Title - Goods train rams fish factory while backing up in Mangalore

goods train hit a private fish factory by breaching the compound wall on Wednesday evening at Goods Shed in Bunder area damaging the property.

The three-foot thick compound wall collapsed and the debris fell into the storm-water drain abutting the compound and the last coach – the guard van – moved backwards and hit the building on the other side of the drain, eye witnesses said. The generator room and the bathroom of the building, where a private fish cleaning factory functions, collapsed and a wall of the main building has developed several cracks.

A spokesperson for Shaji Govind, who runs the seafood unit, said a couple of workers who were on the premises ran for safety.

“I initially thought it is an earthquake,” said factory supervisor Reju.

“Had the incident taken place half an hour early and the guard van had penetrated little further into the building, there could have been loss of several lives,” said the spokesperson for Mr. Shaji.

The factory mainly employs women. He said the loss was estimated at Rs. 4 lakh, including damage caused to the generator.

The railway sources said the operation to salvage the coach began this morning after the police inspected the site. The coach, which has suffered minor damages, was salvaged using imported hydraulic hauling device, the sources said. The operation lasted three hours. The sources said the railways would take up an enquiry. Lack of proper communication between the crew and the pointsman, who should guide the coaches, could be the cause, the Railway Police said.

Keywords: Southern railway