Karaganda, 25 October. A SHACMAN dump truck drove onto an unguarded level crossing in Shet district of Karaganda region and collided with the Almaty–Petropavlovsk passenger train; passengers and crew were unhurt, police said.
The crash happened early on 24 October on the Saryshagan–Karaganda section. The drivers saw the truck and applied emergency braking but could not avoid a collision. The 53-year-old truck driver managed to jump out of the cab and then left the scene. "The incident has been registered with the police. The circumstances are being established," police said. About half an hour later the train continued its journey.
What it means: A truck driver drove onto a crossing in front of a train and fled; emergency braking protected the people on board.
Who benefits: No one: such accidents endanger passengers and delay trains. Unguarded crossings remain a weak point on remote stretches of the railway.
Background: An unguarded crossing has no barrier or signals; the driver must make sure no train is coming.
