Dodoma — Three people have died and 66 others were injured after a passenger train derailed in at Kigwe in Bahi-Dodoma, the Tanzania Railways Corporation has confirmed.
According to a statement issued by TRC, the accident occurred some 508 kilometers from Dar es Salaam, the train was travelling to Kigoma and was carrying 720 passengers.
Of the dead one was a child and two women who were in the second carriage.
The injured have all been admitted at both Bahi Hospital and Dodoma Referral Hospital where they are undergoing treatment.
The cause of the accident is yet to be known, TRC says they would release an update as soon as possible.
Speaking at the scene of the accident Dodoma Regional commissioner Dr. Binilith Mahenge called upon the public to ignore reports circulating on social media saying they were fabricated.
“Some of the injured who were admitted at Bahi Hospital have been treated and allowed to leave because they were not critically injured,” said Dr Mahenge.
He also said that those who were not injured would be transported to Manyoni where they are expected to continue with their journey.
In another development, Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan has visited the victims of the accident at Dodoma Referral Hospital saying the government will make sure the injured are treated and upon recovery will be transported to their intended destinations
.