According to video evidence the Wilwatta train accident that unfolded this morning (09) was due to the container car driver’s unsafe maneuver of entering the railway track while the railway crossing gate was closed, indicating an impending train arrival.
According to sources within the railway department, had the container car halted at the railway crossing, it would have enabled the gate attendant to be alerted about the obstruction. This, in turn, could have prompted the train to come to a stop, potentially averting the collision. Moreover, this proactive communication could have reached the container car driver, prompting them to halt as well.
The sources further underscore that if the container car had adhered to standard protocol and halted at the railway crossing, sufficient time would have been available to prevent the accident.
While no fatalities resulted from the incident, the railway department also highlighted the extensive repercussions. The adoption of an alternative route strategy, the resultant cancellation of train services, the inability to operate the final office train, and the consequential road blockage collectively inflicted substantial financial losses upon the nation.
In response to this incident, a dedicated investigation is currently in progress, aimed at uncovering the full extent of the circumstances and factors that led to this incident.
Video Evidence of Crash