Seven people were killed and about 100 injured, several of them severely, when a passenger train collided with a heavy truck close to Revadim junction near Kiryat Gat in southern Israel.
Rescue services were delayed in reaching the scene of the accident because of the terrain. Only about 15 minutes after the collision occurred did the first Magen David Adom medical teams arrive. Five helicopters were called in to help evacuate the injured.
As a result of the impact of the collision, the two first carriages of the train overturned and their windows were smashed. Many passengers made their way out of the carriages via the openings.
The train left Haifa for Beersheva, passing through the Savidor station in Tel Aviv at 17:08.
All movement of trains at Kiryat Gat has been halted, and disruption is expected at all stations in the south of the country.
The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption has opened a special emergency line with information in Russian, Amharic, Spanish, French, and English, besides Hebrew.
The telephone number is 1-255-081-010.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on June 21, 2005