Fatal Train Collision Near Cairo Leaves Seven Dead, Over 100 Injured

A tragic train collision occurred on Sunday in al-Ayyat, Giza province, approximately 52 kilometers south of Cairo. The crash resulted in the deaths of seven individuals and left at least 125 others injured, according to the Chief Prosecutor’s office. Among the deceased was the train’s conductor.

The Health Ministry reported that over 70 of those injured were discharged after receiving medical attention. The incident took place when a train traveling to Fayoum province collided with the rear of another train heading towards Aswan. The latter train was stationary on the same track and traveling in the same direction.

Investigators from the Chief Prosecutor’s office quickly arrived at the crash site. Initial inspections revealed the collision occurred when the Giza-Fayoum train struck the last car of the Cairo-Aswan train. Train derailments and accidents are frequent in Egypt, attributed to mismanagement and poor maintenance of the railway system. However, government-backed modernization efforts have been announced in recent years.

Ayman Gamal, a local resident from Kafr Girza, described how nearby residents immediately responded to the accident by rescuing survivors and alerting ambulances. About 80 injured individuals were transported to hospitals for treatment. Unfortunately, some passengers died while trapped inside the train cars.

Ayman Gamal said, “Some passengers were trapped and unresponsive when we reached them.”

Outside the al-Wasta Central Hospital in Beni Suef province, survivors recounted the traumatic experience. They shared that passengers were in shock and had difficulty breathing due to the dust stirred up by the crash. Nearby villagers helped in the rescue efforts.

Farha Gamal, a survivor on the Fayoum train, described the chaotic scene. “It was difficult to find the way out, and several train cars were completely mangled,” she said.

In response to the incident, President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi announced a comprehensive investigation to determine the crash’s cause. Emergency crews and equipment were dispatched to clear the wreckage and resume normal train operations swiftly.

Notably, train accidents have been a recurring problem in the region. Last year, a collision between two freight trains in the same district resulted in injuries. The country’s most fatal train disaster in 2002 claimed over 300 lives when a fire engulfed a train traveling from Cairo to southern Egypt.