Metrorail has blamed Friday morning’s crash between a bakkie and a train in Blackheath, Cape Town, on human error, saying the vehicle driver ignored boom signals.
Seven men, who were on the bakkie, died in the crash at the Buttskop level crossing.
They were between 30 and 42 years-old. Nobody on the train was injured.
The road at the level crossing remains closed to traffic as authorities work at the scene.
Metrorail spokesperson, Zino Mihi says the booms and nearby CCTV cameras are fully functional.
Mihi says: “The information that we got from the train driver was that the bakkie that was having seven occupants passed through the red signals because there was another taxi that also did the same.”
“Apparently the signals were on amber so they followed thinking that they would also be as lucky as the Kombi that went through. Unfortunately they missed it and all of them were killed instantly.”
