Updated: 6:12am – A 13-year-old girl was miraculously saved by her younger sister as she was dragged by a train with her foot trapped between the back wheels of a rail truck.
Lanieta Marama Nasilasila, of Lomolomo was one of four children, including her younger sister Adi Makereta, 12 and two other young boys who had decided to hitch a ride on the back of the last rail truck being pulled along near Lomolomo Village, between Lautoka and Nadi.
She had been sent by her father, Ilaitia, to go to the shop around 7pm to buy something.
Older sister, Eseta Nasilasila said the children saw the train coming with some empty carts and decided to ride on it to the shop, which was about 500 metres away towards Lautoka.
In between the village and the shop is the Lomolomo Community Police Post. “We all got on the rail truck and before we reached the shop we all jumped off,” Adi Makereta said.
She said when she looked up towards the rail truck; she saw Lanieta being pulled along as her foot was caught in between the back wheels.
“I was crying and frightened and I just started to run towards my sister,” she said. “When I was near her I managed to grab her hand and she became free from the wheels.”
Eseta said their uncle, a Police officer at the Police post rushed to the scene and transferred her to hospital. “We have now been warned not to ride the rail trucks ever again by our dad,” she said.
When contacted yesterday, Mr Nasilasila was too upset to talk as he was at the Lautoka Hospital with Lanieta.
Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing. “She underwent surgery to her foot last night and reported to be recovering at the Lautoka Hospital,” Ms Naisoro said.
“Sympathise with child and her family but the Fiji Sugar Corporation is doing its own internal investigation,” Fiji Sugar Corporation Chief Operating Officer Navin Chandra said.
“We cannot comment any further as the matter is with police,” Mr Chandra said.
Mr Chandra said there needed to be more awareness made with the public on the dangers of trying to ride on rail trucks.
-Fiji Sun
