henric
02-22-2012, 11:32 PM
22/02/2012 12:16:41 PM
CTVNews.ca Staff
At least 49 people are dead and hundreds injured after a train packed with passengers slammed into a Buenos Aires subway platform on Wednesday.
Police say the commuter train pulled into the city's bustling Once station too fast and slammed into the end of the line at 26 kph. The force destroyed the front of the engine and caused following cars to slam into one another.
The collision marks Argentina's worst train collision since 1970, when two trains in Buenos Aires smashed into one another, killing 200 people.
Rescuers spent the morning trying to free dozens of trapped commuters from the wrecked train's first car. Emergency crews were forced to cut the roof of the train and retrieve victims using a pulley.
At least 550 people have been injured. Some were transported to nearby hospitals while others were treated on scene for bruises and other minor injuries.
Survivors described a scene of chaos as the fast-moving train careened into the platform. Windows exploded as the cars smashed and broke apart. Passengers reported being tossed onto the floor, into the air and onto each other.
The deceased include 48 adults and one child, according to Argentina's Police Commissioner Nestor Rodriguez.
It's unclear what led to the collision but the head of the area train workers' union says the train had been checked by a mechanic the day before.
"This machine left the shop yesterday and the brakes worked well," Ruben Sobrero told Radio La Red. "From what we know, it braked without problems at previous stations."
He refused to speculate about what may have caused the crash.
Answers from the train's operator will have to wait, however, as the motorman has been hospitalized and hasn't been able to speak to his union yet.
Five serious train collisions have occurred in Argentina since Dec. 2010.
With files from The Associated Press
CTVNews.ca Staff
At least 49 people are dead and hundreds injured after a train packed with passengers slammed into a Buenos Aires subway platform on Wednesday.
Police say the commuter train pulled into the city's bustling Once station too fast and slammed into the end of the line at 26 kph. The force destroyed the front of the engine and caused following cars to slam into one another.
The collision marks Argentina's worst train collision since 1970, when two trains in Buenos Aires smashed into one another, killing 200 people.
Rescuers spent the morning trying to free dozens of trapped commuters from the wrecked train's first car. Emergency crews were forced to cut the roof of the train and retrieve victims using a pulley.
At least 550 people have been injured. Some were transported to nearby hospitals while others were treated on scene for bruises and other minor injuries.
Survivors described a scene of chaos as the fast-moving train careened into the platform. Windows exploded as the cars smashed and broke apart. Passengers reported being tossed onto the floor, into the air and onto each other.
The deceased include 48 adults and one child, according to Argentina's Police Commissioner Nestor Rodriguez.
It's unclear what led to the collision but the head of the area train workers' union says the train had been checked by a mechanic the day before.
"This machine left the shop yesterday and the brakes worked well," Ruben Sobrero told Radio La Red. "From what we know, it braked without problems at previous stations."
He refused to speculate about what may have caused the crash.
Answers from the train's operator will have to wait, however, as the motorman has been hospitalized and hasn't been able to speak to his union yet.
Five serious train collisions have occurred in Argentina since Dec. 2010.
With files from The Associated Press