At least 14 people were killed and dozens injured when an overcrowded freight train carrying merchants collided with a stationary train near Dire Dawa, a city in eastern Ethiopia, on Monday night. The crash occurred on the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway line, a crucial trade route connecting landlocked Ethiopia to the Port of Djibouti. According to local reports, the train had been transporting merchants and their goods from Dewale, a border town known for cross-border commerce.
Dire Dawa Mayor Ibrahim Usman confirmed the death toll in a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and pledging government support for the injured. “This is a tragic accident that has brought great sorrow to our city,” he wrote. Witnesses told the Associated Press that emergency response was slow, with no ambulances on site immediately after the collision. Local residents reportedly helped pull victims from the wreckage before medical teams arrived.
Officials said an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the crash, with early reports suggesting signal failure or human error may have played a role. Ethiopia’s railway authority said technical teams have been dispatched to the site to assess damage and restore service on the vital route. The Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, inaugurated in 2016, is the country’s only international rail link and handles more than 90% of Ethiopia’s trade. While largely designed for freight, it is often used informally by traders and travelers — a practice that has raised safety concerns due to overcrowding and weak enforcement of transport rules.
Road and rail accidents are common in Ethiopia, where poor infrastructure, aging equipment, and limited emergency services often complicate disaster response. As authorities continue recovery efforts, local hospitals in Dire Dawa have appealed for blood donations and medical supplies to treat survivors, several of whom are in critical condition.
