Bhubaneswar, May 4 (IANS): At least 26 passengers were injured after a goods train collided with the Koraput-Rourkela Inter City Express in Orissa's Bolangir district early Wednesday, forcing railway authorities to cancel a few trains on the route, police said.

The accident took place at Siker, about 430 km from here.

The coal-laden freight train entered a track used to park trains, derailing its engine following which it rammed into a compartment of the express train.

"Most of the passengers in the compartment were asleep at that time. They were rescued and taken to a hospital. One of them has sustained multiple injuries," police officer G.N. Joshi told IANS.

According to a railway official, three bogies of the 11-coach express train got affected in the accident, resulting in blocking of both up and down lines.

"As a result, some trains have been cancelled, diverted and short terminated," he said.

The cancelled trains were Sambalpur-Rayagada-Sambalpur Inter City Express and Titlagarh-Howrah Ispat Express.

Bhubaneswar-Kurla Express will run via Sambalpur-Jharsuguda instead of Titlagarh, and Surat-Puri Express will run via Titlagarh-Vijayanagaram instead of Sambalpur, he said.

"Also, the Raipur-Bilaspur passenger has been short terminated. It will run up to Titlagarh and back. There will be no services between Titlagarh and Bilaspur," he said.

The railways have issued the following numbers for information on the train accident -- Sambalpur - 1072, 0663-2521091, 0663-2521191, Rourkela - 0661-2510680, Jharsuguda -06645-271265, and Rajgangpur - 06624-220299.