7 hurt as PNR train hits car stuck on rail tracks

Seven people escaped with just minor injuries after a close encounter with a slow-moving Philippine National Railways (PNR) train Thursday morning.

Senior Police Officer 4 Sergio Macaraig of the Manila Traffic Bureau said that the PNR train with body number CX106 was on its way to Tayuman from Manila when it hit a Toyota Echo which had stopped on the railroad tracks in Sta. Mesa, Manila.

“Due to the impact, the Toyota swerved to the right and hit the Mitsubishi [L-300] van beside it,” Macaraig told the Inquirer over the phone.

The driver of the Echo was identified as Gualberto Dominguez, an employee of Manila City Hall.

He and the six passengers of the van, who were all on their way to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, suffered minor injuries.

They were taken to Ospital ng Maynila for treatment.

The occupants of the van were identified as Flordeliza Oraya, 18; Juvelyn Reynoso, 18; Jerol Botas, 18; Wister Fuesta, 24;  May Jane Nespol, 27 and Hilarion Pardo, 27, the driver.

Macaraig said that the two vehicles were headed for Valenzuela Street when a crossing keeper signaled their drivers to stop because of the approaching train.

The driver of the Echo, however, continued to move his vehicle forward either because he failed to see the crossing keeper or chose to deliberately ignore him.

When the train approached, a portion of the Echo was on the railroad tracks and the driver couldn’t move his vehicle because of the heavy traffic in the area at that time, Macaraig said.

When the train hit the left side of the vehicle, it swerved sideways and hit the van which was on its right side.

The driver of the PNR train with body number CX106 was identified as Eufemiano Acosta III. After the accident, the train did not stop but continued its journey, Macaraig said.

He added that according to the crossing keeper, the train was not running at full speed before the accident. Nancy C. Carvajal