A fatal head-on collision between two passenger trains was averted yesterday afternoon after railway authorities realized the danger in the nick of time and took measures to stop the two trains.

The two trains had been travelling on the same track due to a miscommunication at the railway control room, the railway authorities said.

The railway control room said that a train plying from Colombo to Trincomalee and another train travelling from Trincomalee to Colombo have been heading on a collision course on the same track due to a signal failure.

The train that had been travelling towards Trincomalee had been stopped at Gal-oya and the train travelling from Colombo had been stopped at Kantale, thus avoiding a disaster.(DS)