At least 19 killed and 120 injured after coaches come off tracks near Roha station in Maharashtra

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

A passenger train has derailed in western India, killing at least 19 people and injuring more than 100.

The engine and four of the 20 coaches came off the tracks on Sunday near Roha station in Maharashtra state, 70 miles (110km) south of Mumbai.

The rescuers used cutting torches to open the derailed coaches to reach those trapped inside. Cranes lifted the coaches from the track.

Two of the derailed coaches tilted on one side and one overturned.

The rescue operation is continuing and the death toll is expected to rise.

A railway spokesman said that 123 injured passengers had been taken to hospital, some of them in serious condition.

The cause of the derailment was not immediately known. Rail authorities ordered an investigation into the accident.

Train movement in the area was suspended as the derailed coaches and the rescue operation blocked an adjacent track as well.

Rail accidents are common in India, which has one of the world's largest railway networks and serves 20 million passengers a day. Most accidents are blamed on poor maintenance and human error.