A train accident kills more than 80 people with hundreds wounded on Friday 22nd october 2016

Cameroon has witnessed its ghastlier train accident in history with more than 80 people dead and in excess of 600 wounded.

Due to a drain damage of the Douala-Yaounde highway that cut the highway closing it to the usually heavy traffic, people could not move from Yaounde to Douala or the other way around as authorities closed the highway in the early hours of the morning. People resorted to travel by train and one could see thousands of people lining up to buy their tickets. The railway company, Camrail, was forced to add up to 8 cars to the train to cope with the demand.

The train left Yaounde at 11.15 AM. By 12.30 AM there was a post on facebook showing a derailment of the train. The railway company replied through a post that it was not true. At 1 PM the minister of transport held a meeting and confirmed that there was no train derailment during the state radio midday newscast. Yet, barely a quarter of an hour later, images flooded facebook and whatsapp confirming a train derailment. There was no reaction from the government then. A private television, Equinoxe, moved to the area, Eseka in the center region. This came like a huge confirmation as people watched the reporting in dismay.

The government reacted a few hours later when 3 ministers flew to the area by helicopter. This included the minister of transport, the minister of health and the minister delegate to the minister of territorial administration and decentralization.

The local population showed proof of solidarity as they flooded to the accident area to provide first aid to the wounded and help carry the dead to the mortuary. The government is under heavy criticism for their incompetence because they failed to understand the consequences of such an accident, the first train accident to kill so many people. Rescue teams came a few hours later by road whereas the ministers came by helicopter just to hold a meeting and declare how many were dead or injured.

This accident is a result of poor maintenance of road infrastructure in the country. The government has instituted tollgates of the main highways of the country in a effort to raise more funds to finance the maintenance of those roads but most of the money is embezzled. For instance, the coordinator of the road fund program is now in jail due to a misuse of public funds.

The head of state, President Paul Biya, came home after spending a month in Geneva and decreed the 24th of October as the national mourning. Yet, there was no official ceremony bringing more criticism to the government.

An investigation is underway to help understand the direct causes of the disaster.

Our most sincere condolences to the bereaved families and extend our best wishes to the injured.