Four people were killed and three others injured when a Chittagong-bound train hit a covered van, at the Barahipur rail crossing on the Dhaka–Chittagong rail route in Feni, early yesterday (Wednesday).

The dead were the van driver, Md Hanif (28) of Narsingdi, and his three helpers, who died on the spot. The three injured were taken to  hospital, and one of them died on the way.

A four-member committee has been formed by the Feni railway authorities to probe the accident.

Witnesses and station master Mahabub Rahman told The Independent that the Chittagong-bound “Turna Nishitha”, an inter-city train coming from Dhaka, crashed into the covered van, belonging to MS Sohel Transport (Pirojpur Ta-02107), at the level crossing around 4:30am.

The van was trying to cross the railway tracks and the crash impact threw it into a roadside ditch. Police sources said on receiving information the police, fire service and civil defence personnel rushed to the spot and rescued the injured with the help of local people and took them to Feni Sadar Hospital.

One of them died on the way to hospital, said Dr Hasan Shaharia, civil surgeon  of Feni Sadar Hospital. “We shifted two severely injured to Dhaka Swardhi Hospital,” he added.   A covered van helper, Anisur Rahman, said they were going from Dhaka to Feni Sadar Hospital with hospital materials being carried in three  covered vans. The railway-crossing gateman has gone into hiding after the accident. Abdul Alim, sub-inspector of the Feni Railway police camp, told The Independent that when the ill-fated van was passing, the crossing was left unattended as the gateman was sleeping.

Train services resumed on the Dhaka–Chittagong highway an hour later, the station master said. Md Rafiq has been posted as temporary gateman.