MRT-3 train derailed, injuries reported

A train of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) is derailed at the Taft Avenue station in Pasay City

DERAILED. An MRT3 train gets derailed at the Taft Station in Pasay City on August 13, 2014. Photo by Jose Del/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) – A Metro Rail Transit (MRT-3) train went past its barrier at the terminal's Taft station Wednesday, August 13, injuring several passengers and causing a post to fall over a car.

A passenger told dzBB the problems began in the Magallanes station, when the train air-conditioning went off. “May nag-start so nag-panic kami. Umandar [yung train] pero walang aircon,” the passengers said. (We started panicking. The train was still working but there was no air-conditioning.)

The passenger said as the train approached Taft station, the door opened and passengers started to panic. Another passenger who was interviewed on the radio station said they wanted to alight the train but they were not allowed.

According to media reports, the train hit a post which in turn fell on a car.

The front part of the first coach of the train is reserved for pregnant women, women with small children, and the elderly; the first coach is for women. One and a half coaches went past the barrier.

DOTC-MRT3 issued an advisory on its official Twitter account, citing a “technical problem.”

“Advisory: We are currently undergoing necessary intervention for the technical problem encountered. We apologize for the inconvenience TY,” it tweeted at around 4:27 pm.

‘TECHNICAL GLITCH.’ One and a half coaches of the MRT train breach the barrier of the Taft Station in Pasay City, injuring some of its passengers, on August 13, 2014. Photo by Joel Leporada/Rappler

Speaking to media, Pasay city chief of police Senior Superintendent Florencio Ortilla said police were starting to secure the area and to make sure people would not panic. The Taft station is typically the site of heavy vehicular and human traffic and is where the MRT-3 and LRT-1 lines meet.

Injured passengers were being brought to the Pasay City General Hospital and the San Juan de Dios Hospital. As of 4:34, media reports saying passengers are still being rescued from inside the train.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said that its rescuers and enforcers are on site, and advised motorist to “expect heavy traffic.”

Read more:

http://www.rappler.com/nation/66113-mrt-train-derails

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