The carriages began to roll downhill during a regular reattachment procedure.
Seven employees have been suspended following an incident in which over 1,000 passengers on board 22 carriages rolled for over 13 kilometers.
As reported by local press, the passengers were aboard the Ahmedabad-Puri express and people on Titlagarh and Kesinga stations in Odisha in India.
As it reached a junction, the engine was detached so that it could be reattached at the other end. However, due to manual error or faulty skid brakes, the train started rolling back towards Kesinga before the engine could be reattached.
VIDEO: 22 train carriages carrying about 1,000 passengers in eastern India detached from their engine and sped backwards for miles before staff stopped the runaway with rocks on the track #Titlagarh pic.twitter.com/OjTAJ1b0HZ
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) April 9, 2018
Passengers on board, and those waiting at several stations, looked on in horror as the train travelled downhill for over 13 kilometers, as the carriages continued to gain momentum to a speed in excess of 30km/h.
The runaway train was eventually brought to a stop after 30 minutes, when officials put stones on the tracks, which slowed the carriages down before bringing it to a shuddering stop.
Seven employees – including two officials for the East Coast Railway, the driver, and three carriage and wagon department workers – were suspended on Saturday as a result of the incident due to gross negligence.
There were no reported injuries.
Here's a video of the Ahmedabad-Puri Express with passengers rolling back without a locomotive. The train was stopped in time without any untoward incident. No injuries. @mid_day @MailOnline @railwaygazette @Indianrlyinfo @IndianRailMedia pic.twitter.com/uOEnDoTjTD
— Rajendra B. Aklekar (@rajtoday) April 8, 2018
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