Firefighters were seen hosing down the charred wreckage of the locomotive as security forces guarded the site. Twenty people were killed and 40 injured, the health ministry said. Ahmed Ibrahim, a jewellery salesman, said he was on his way to work when he heard a loud explosion.
"I ran to see a lot of people injured. I had to carry a young girl with my own hands," he said, apparently still in shock. "I saw bodies cut in half. I'd never seen that ... I never thought I'd ever touch dead bodies." CCTV footage circulating online showed the locomotive smashing into the barrier without slowing down. People walking on the platform were enveloped by smoke.
Separate footage filmed inside the station showed a fire engulfing the train and a nearby platform and people rushing to help the casualties. Photos that emerged after the crash showed several scorched bodies scattered around the wreckage. Several people were seen in videos running around and screaming for help after catching fire.