A freight train carrying ammonia derailed near Pirot. As a result of the accident, a spill of the dangerous substance occurred and 51 people were hospitalized with symptoms of poisoning and a state of emergency was declared in the city.
There is no danger to the lives of the patients, local media reported, citing information from health authorities. One person died, but there is no indication that his death was the result of intoxication alone. The man had multiple comorbidities. The local hospital said an autopsy was ordered to determine the cause of death. Later, information about another deceased appeared. According to Serbian media, the body of a man was found near the site of the train crash. The Bulgarian consul general in Nish, Dimitar Tsanev, also spoke about the second victim.
“It concerns a driver of a Turkish bullet train, for which the cause of death has not yet been confirmed. The bullet train exited a few meters from the highway, it is possible that he fell and hit himself during the jump. There is no confirmed information yet,” he explained to BNT.
The train consisted of 21 tanks and 20 of them contained ammonia. According to Serbian authorities, four of the tankers capsized and one fell into the Nishava River. However, there was no danger of its waters being polluted, say Serbian authorities.
The train was carrying Bulgarian goods, but there is no way that our country can be held responsible for what happened, given that at the time of the derailment the train was operated by the Serbian State Railways. Deputy Transport Minister Krasimir Papukchiiski told BNT.
At the moment there is no news of Bulgarian citizens injured in Pirot after the ammonia leak from the derailed train near the Serbian town. According to data from the local hospital, five Bulgarians were seen there, but were released for home care. The doctors also helped other foreign nationals: Turks, Georgians, a Frenchman.
The train composition is loaded on the territory of Bulgaria. All wagons are French and German and were used for hire. They were transported by a private Bulgarian operator to the Serbian border, where the composition was handed over to the Serbian State Railways operator. It also secured the train drivers for the territory of Serbia, the deputy minister explained.
“No liability can be demanded of Bulgaria in the situation where Serbian Railways technically accepted the train at the border and picked it up from there”added Papukchiiski.
Bulgaria has offered help to deal with the incident. Serbian authorities are currently analyzing whether there is a need for it.
According to information from the Bulgarian authorities, 3 carriages of the train overturned. During the derailment a bubble burst on one of the ammonia tanks resulting in a major spill. From the other two overturned cars there was a leak from the hatches but this was quickly brought under control.
According to the Serbian Interior Ministry, the accident occurred around 5.30 pm on Sunday on a section of the railway from Pirot to the village of Stanichene, near Sopotski Khan.
RTS reported that the accident occurred when a group of 20 tankers derailed, “at least one of which fell into the bed of the Nishava River, which resulted in a violent ammonia reaction on contact with water”.
The Serbian Interior Ministry’s emergency department confirmed that 51 people with symptoms of ammonia poisoning have been hospitalized so far. Two of them have severe symptoms. Seven people were transferred to the University Clinical Center of Nis. They have stable vitals and minor chemical burns.
The Ministry of the Interior has invited citizens who live near the accident not to leave their homes and not to go outdoors. Schools and large shops are closed. It is forbidden to go out.
27 firefighters with 10 fire engines were sent to the scene.
Due to the accident, rail traffic on this line was disrupted. Due to poor visibility, traffic between Pirot and Bela Palanka on the highway was stopped. The alternative route is through Ponor village.
The company “Serbia Cargo” reported that it is a cargo train that runs daily on the Nis-Dimitrovgrad route and transports raw materials from Bulgaria to Prahovo and Shabac. AFP added that the carriages of the derailed train were also carrying chemical waste from Bulgaria.
The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry urged not to travel to Pirot.
Four stations are located in Pirot to monitor ammonia in the air, but it has not been detected at present. The Bulgarian Ministry of Economy has announced that it has a measuring station near Kalotina. From there, they added that they were also receiving information about possible contamination from their Serbian colleagues.
