Death toll up to 100

[RB TexLa]

KINSHASA, Congo - An overnight train derailed in central Congo after its brakes failed, killing about 100 people, government officials said Thursday.

The train's locomotive stopped responding to controls as it traveled between the city of Ilebo and the provincial capital of Kananga, said Medard Ilunga, head of Congo's state railway agency.

The conductor was left with no way to brake, he said. Seven cars overturned in the accident, while another leaned partly off the tracks Thursday.

"The accident that occurred Wednesday resulted in a heavy toll of about 100 dead," government spokesman Toussaint Tshilombo Send told The Associated Press. Earlier reports at put the death toll at about 30 people.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070802/ap_on_re_af/congo_train_accident

[orleans]

1. how horrible. n/t

[Webster Green]

2. I don't have my TeeVee on..

..but, I'm assuming there is non-stop coverage of this disaster on all the news channels.

[RB TexLa]

3. Doubt they have mentioned it

Hasn't been any mention of 'Mericans injured or killed.