One dead as car bursts into flames after colliding with train

The driver of a car died today (January 01) after the vehicle collided with the ‘Uttara Devi’ intercity express train on a level crossing in Wanawasala area.

The train had been en route to Colombo from Jaffna when the car crashed against it at around 12.30 p.m.

After coming into contact with the train, the car had been dragged away nearly 200m. It had then gone up in flames, Ada Derana correspondent said.

The locomotive of the train was also caught on fire, however, the residents of the area had managed to douse the flames.

The deceased was identified as a 55-year-old from Wattala area. He is reportedly an engineer employed at a private company.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the car driver had made a careless attempt to pass through the railway crossing, resulting in the collision.