Four people have been injured after an early morning commuter passenger train derailed after crashing into an abandoned car on the tracks on the NSW South Coast line.
The crash happened on the same day the NSW rail network is already crippled by a strike affecting up to 70 percent of the city’s trains.
Police said the crash happened just after 4 a.m. on Wednesday at West Dapto Road at Kembla Grange.
The train struck the unoccupied car that was on the tracks, which sent the first carriage catapulting off the tracks.
It landed on the side behind the Kembla Grange railway station.
NSW Ambulance said four crews were dispatched to the scene to attend to 11 people on board at the time of the derailment—nine passengers, the driver and a guard.
The train driver was trapped for “a short period” and was among four people who were taken to Wollongong Hospital with minor injuries and in a stable condition
A man called Nick who was on the train on his way to Sydney has told radio 2GB he was lucky not to have been injured.
“It was like being on a trampoline. (We were) just bouncing up and down,” he said.
Police established a crime scene and are investigating, with help from Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink.
“We are working closely with NSW Police who have established a crime scene, and emergency services who are on-site,” a spokesman said.
“Thankfully there haven’t been any serious injuries but two customers and two crew have been taken to hospital with minor injuries.
“We would like to thank the first responders for their assistance responding to this incident and helping our customers and staff.”
The crash has inflicted substantial damage to the overhead wiring and associated infrastructure, which is likely to have impacts on services for the day.
Buses are replacing trains between Albion Park and Wollongong in both directions, and a shuttle train service is operating between Albion Park and Kiama.
Commuters are advised to change trains at Wollongong or Albion Park to complete their journey.
