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Train hits student bus in Gaziantep: Many injured

Train hits student bus in Gaziantep: Many injured

From Cumhuriyet · (41m ago) Turkish Critical tone

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A train collided with a student shuttle bus at a level crossing in Türkbahçe neighborhood, Gaziantep.
  • The bus, carrying 13 students, was thrown to the side of the road after the impact.
  • Emergency services responded, and the injured students were taken to İslahiye State Hospital; an investigation has been launched, with locals calling for safety measures at the crossing.

A shocking incident occurred yesterday in Gaziantep's Türkbahçe neighborhood, where a train collided with a student shuttle bus at a level crossing, resulting in injuries to 13 young students. The bus, carrying students from Türkbahçe Middle School, was violently thrown off the road upon impact. This event has understandably caused distress and concern among the local community, highlighting critical safety issues at the crossing.

Eyewitnesses and local residents have voiced strong concerns, pointing out the absence of an adequate warning sign at the level crossing. This lack of basic safety infrastructure is seen as a major contributing factor to the accident. The community is now urgently calling for immediate measures to be implemented to prevent future tragedies. The swift response of police, health, and fire departments was crucial in providing aid to the injured students, who were subsequently transported to İslahiye State Hospital for treatment.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway. However, the focus for many in the community is not just on assigning blame but on ensuring that such a dangerous situation is rectified. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of maintaining safe infrastructure, especially in areas frequented by schoolchildren. We at Cumhuriyet believe that the safety of our citizens, particularly our children, must be paramount, and that authorities must act decisively to address the concerns raised by the residents of Türkbahçe.

There was no warning sign for the level crossing.

— Local residentsExpressing concern about the lack of safety measures at the level crossing where the accident occurred.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.