Rescuers are racing against time to free passengers trapped inside a train after a fatal collision outside Jakarta on Monday, because apparently one train collision wasn't exciting enough.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured when a stationary passenger train was rear-ended by a long-distance commuter train on the same track near Bekasi Timur Station. Local media showed footage of passengers on medical trolleys, while rescuers worked to extricate people from the wreckage.

"There are still victims who are alive but they're pinned by train material," said Mohammad Syafii, head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency, early Tuesday. "We're hoping to extricate them." He added that personnel with specific skills were needed for a measured extrication, which is a polite way of saying this is a delicate, dangerous mess.

Bobby Rasyidin, president director of state-owned railway operator KAI, reported that 84 people are being treated for injuries at nearby hospitals.

The cascade of chaos began at about 20:00 Monday when a commuter train hit a taxi that was parked across the rail crossing. A second train stopped at the station because of that collision. Nearly an hour later, a third train - a long-distance commuter - crashed into a women-only carriage on the second train while pulling in. Because why not add insult to injury?

One passenger told the BBC's Indonesia service that people screamed "hysterically" as the trains collided - a reaction we can only assume was not captured in the official safety manual. Other eyewitnesses reported seeing "many victims" injured.

Jakarta Police Chief Insp Gen Asep Edi Suheri said six or seven people remained trapped inside the carriages.

Authorities have promised that medical and funeral expenses will be fully covered by KAI and insurance, and Bekasi Timur Station will be closed to commuters for the rest of Tuesday. That's generous, but it doesn't really bring back the dead, does it?

Indonesia's public transport network has a high accident rate, thanks in part to ageing infrastructure and poor maintenance - a combination that's about as reliable as a 1990s laptop. In January 2024, several people were killed and dozens injured when two trains collided in a rice field in Cicalengka. Drone footage showed derailed carriages of the express and commuter trains involved.

So, the trains are running, the infrastructure is crumbling, and the crashes keep coming. But hey, at least the insurance covers the funerals.