Death toll of S. Africa passenger train crash rises to 18

PRETORIA - 5 January 2018: The death toll of a train crash in South Africa's Free State province that resulted from a collision between a truck and a passenger train on Thursday has risen to 18, South African officials said on Friday.

The train collided with the truck at a level crossing between Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg and several carriages derailed and fire erupted in them, the officials were quoted by the BBC.

Transport Minister Joe Masangwanyi said Thursday that the death toll of the train crash rose to 12 and 268 injured, including four in serious condition.

There were 429 passengers on board the train that was heading from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg.