Egypt’s medical examiner has put an end to speculation on the deadly train crash in Cairo’s main railway station last week, saying “no traces of explosives were found in the bodies of victims.”
The examiner also concluded in a report that there was no foul play, and that there were no traces of explosive material in the site of the accident at Ramses train station where a hurtling locomotive crashed, derailed and caught fire, killing and injuring dozens of people.
The General Prosecutor summoned the head of the railway authority and other senior officials for questioning in the crash that has caused Transport Minister Hisham Arafat his job.
Earlier, local media indicated a foul play in the crash despite the denial of the driver, who stressed he had not been recruited by any side to carry out an attack.
He asserted that he had no affiliations to any group.
The medical examiner delivered the report to the North Cairo Prosecution on Sunday, stating the causes of death as burns, brain hemorrhage, and lacerations across various parts of the victims’ bodies.
The Public Prosecution tasked a committee from the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces to inspect the station’s main building to assess its damages.
On Thursday, Egyptian authorities arrested six people - two train conductors, their aides and two other rail workers - and the chief prosecutor ordered they remain in custody for four more days pending further investigation.
The North Cairo Prosecution extended on Saturday the detention of the detainees for 15 days.
Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek earlier said the investigation determined that the accident was triggered by a brawl between the two conductors.
He said one conductor failed to put the brakes on before leaving the locomotive, unleashed the speeding, unmanned engine which then crashed into a concrete barrier at the Ramses station, setting of a huge explosion and fire.
Since the accident, Egyptian authorities initiated periodic maintenance inspection to ensure the technical condition of the trains, as well as the standards of full compliance with safety and security measures.
Transportation Minister Arafat resigned after the accident, and Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly assigned the Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker to temporarily head the transport ministry.
