COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Oct 19, (AP): A train carrying thousands of gallons of fuel hit a herd of wild elephants in northeast Sri Lanka, killing two of the giant mammals and injuring one other as two of its tankers got derailed, authorities said. The collision happened in the town of Minneriya - about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the capital, Colombo - renowned for its nature park and wildlife.

The train driver told The Associated Press that the herd of nearly 20 elephants suddenly tried to cross over the railway track Friday. "There was about 10 meters (32 feet) between us. So, we couldn’t do anything. We pressed the breaks to their maximum capacity, but there was nothing much we could do. At least four elephants were knocked down.” N.W. Jayalath said.

The train had eight tankers - five carrying diesel and another three petrol, each with a capacity of 50,000 liters (about 132,000 gallons), Jayalath said. Two of the petrol tankers got derailed, causing a significant leakage and severely damaging railway tracks and forcing authorities to suspend the train services on that line, he added.

The train compartment harboring the conductor also got derailed. The train also had two other railway personnel besides the driver. None of the four were injured. "This is the first time I saw this kind of incident," V.J. Jackson, a Minneriya resident, said. "We came here after hearing the honking of the train and the screaming of the elephants. We saw elephants lying everywhere and the train had derailed."

Hasini Sarathchandra, the publicity officer of the wildlife department said the two elephants were killed on site while the injured one was treated and released back to its herd. Minneriya National Park draws thousands of tourists each year hoping to see elephants in their wild habitats. It is part of the "elephant corridor that connects Kaudulla and Wasgamuwa National parks” which allows for elephant sightings year-round.