HABARADUWA – A harrowing collision occurred in Habaraduwa earlier today when a passenger train slammed into a bus transporting a group of students, leaving at least ten people injured. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community as emergency responders scrambled to the scene to provide urgent care to the victims.
The accident took place at an unguarded level crossing in the coastal town. According to initial reports from local law enforcement, the bus was carrying a group of students returning from a school-related activity when the vehicle attempted to cross the tracks. The train, which was traveling along the Southern line, struck the rear section of the bus, causing significant structural damage to the vehicle and throwing passengers into a state of panic.
Emergency medical teams and police officers were dispatched to the site immediately following the distress calls. Rescuers worked under high-pressure conditions to extract passengers from the wreckage. Officials confirmed that ten individuals, primarily students, sustained injuries in the impact.
“We received the call at approximately 10:30 AM,” said a spokesperson for the local police department. “Ten injured passengers were immediately transported to the nearby Karapitiya Teaching Hospital and the Habaraduwa District Hospital. While some victims are being treated for serious injuries, medical staff are working tirelessly to stabilize everyone involved.”
Preliminary investigations suggest that visibility at the crossing may have been a contributing factor, though authorities have launched a formal inquiry to determine the exact sequence of events. Witnesses at the scene reported that the alarm signals at the crossing were potentially overlooked or malfunctioning, a detail that will remain a central focus of the ongoing police investigation.
Train traffic along the Southern line was temporarily suspended following the crash as authorities cleared the debris and inspected the tracks for safety. Railway officials have since stated that normal service is expected to resume later this evening, once investigators have finished gathering evidence from the scene.
Local officials and school administrators have arrived at the hospitals to provide support to the families of the injured students. The incident has reignited a long-standing debate regarding the safety of unmanned level crossings throughout the region, with local residents calling for the immediate installation of gates and warning signals at all such intersections to prevent future tragedies.
As of this afternoon, hospital sources indicate that while several of the injured students remain under close medical observation, none of the injuries are currently considered life-threatening. The authorities continue to urge motorists to exercise extreme caution when approaching railway crossings, regardless of whether official warning systems appear to be active.
Further updates are expected as the investigation into the driver’s actions and the railway signaling system progresses.
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