At least 27 people were killed and 34 others injured when a goods train crashed into a pickup truck and a minibus carrying family members returning from a wedding party at a 'faulty' level crossing early today.
The accident took place in Giza, around 20 kilometres southwest from here, as railway workers blamed faulty equipment and negligence for the crash.
Two watchmen at the crossing told Al-Ahram's Arabic news website that the manual alarm bells and warning lights for approaching trains were out of service.
The train driver said he had sounded warning bell dozens of times for the crossing to be closed.
At least 27 people were killed in the collision that also injured 34 others, with some in critical condition, health ministry officials said.
The train, which was travelling at 50 km per hour when the accident took place, came to a halt 1 km beyond the crossing, the driver said.
The two watchmen, the train driver and his assistant are currently being interrogated.
Initial investigations have shown the crossing lacked chains to prevent vehicles crossing the track, but the alarm lights were functioning properly.
In addition, the watchmen were not at the scene when the accident took place, contrary to their own account, investigators said.
A 42-year-old survivor Nawal Hamdy said she lost four relatives in the accident.
She said 45 members of the same family were returning to Fayoum from a wedding party in Cairo when the train, which was carrying building materials, crashed into a truck heading in the opposite direction before slamming into their minibus.
"In less than a moment we lost consciousness until we found ourselves in hospital," she recalled.
The family of each person killed in the crash will receive 5,000 Egyptian pounds (USD 726) in compensation and each injured person will receive 2,000 Egyptian pounds, Giza governor Ali Abdel-Rahman said.
Egypt's Interim President Adly Mansour extended condolences to the families of the victims of the crash.
In a statement issued by the presidency, Mansour voiced deep sorrow over the tragedy, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.
The Egyptian railway system is infamous for its poor safety record and frequent accidents. The service is crumbling from outdated and poorly maintained equipment.
Egyptians have long complained that successive governments have done little to improve transport safety.
In November 2012, a train crashed into a school bus in Assiut, Upper Egypt, killing 51 children following which the transport minister and the head of the railways resigned.
