The collision occurred near Kroonstad city in Free State province, after the truck failed to stop at a crossing, a passenger told local media.
Video footage showed a fire blazing through at least one carriage, near a crushed car and an overturned truck.
Evacuated passengers were seen standing on the roadside with luggage.
About 850 passengers had been safely evacuated from the train, police were quoted as saying.
The driver of the truck tried to flee, but was arrested by police, passenger Seipati Moletsane told the privately owned eCNA news site.
Passengers in the first two coaches were wounded, she added.
“I was so traumatised. I didn’t know what to do. I was looking for a door just to jump out. Every door was locked… All of a sudden, we just saw smoke, smoke, smoke,” Ms Moletsane said. – BBC
– Jan. 4, 2018 @ 5:45 GMT |
