The derailment of an Alfa Pendular train in the Soure region of Coimbra caused at least two deaths, according to the president of the Soure Parish Council, Santos Mota, told Expresso. The fatal victims are the workers of a machine to maintain the line on which the train hit.
Civil Protection confirms the death toll and indicates that there are six “medium severity” injuries – one of them, the driver, “inspiring more care” – and 19 minor injuries. 175 operational vehicles are on the ground, supported by 68 vehicles and two aerial means, he said. The alert was given at 3:30 pm and the train was going south-north, departing at 2 pm from Santa Apolónia, in Lisbon, bound for Braga.
“There was a big bang and we quickly realized that the train was out of line. There was a lot of dust. And someone started shouting ‘lie on the floor, lie on the floor’. I’m not sure how, but someone managed to break down the door of the carriage and we left “, reports Expresso collaborator André Rito, who was in carriage 4 of the train. “When we left, the terrain was very rough and we had to break down a gate to get away from the line. I would say that when the train hit, it pushed the machine over about 300 meters,” he adds.
At this moment, an INEM tent is set up to assist the “various injured”. “There is great confusion. There are a lot of people and people who are not injured are being channeled to a pavilion in the village of Soure,” adds Santos Mota.
Source of Infrastructures of Portugal revealed that “it will make a point of situation soon”, not needing when, and that “means of help are on the way to the place”, confirming also that “the line is cut in both directions”.
The Minister of Infrastructure, Pedro Nuno Santos, is already there.
André Rito
In Vila Nova de Anços, site of the accident, there are five emergency and resuscitation vehicles, two ambulances for immediate life support, two teams of psychologists, two catastrophe intervention vehicles, in addition to helicopters, INEM tells Expresso, who said that relief operations are ongoing.
In a note published on the website of the Presidency of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa “regrets the serious railway accident this afternoon on the Northern Line, the details of which he was informed by the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos”. The President presented “heartfelt condolences to the relatives and friends of the victims and wishing the numerous injured people a speedy recovery, awaiting the results of the technical and judicial investigations”.
Marcelo confirmed by telephone to RTP3 that an investigation has already been launched to try to ascertain what happened. “The investigation that is underway is important, namely because it involved a very high number of Portuguese and fortunately, for the serious dimension of the accident, without the consequences that were initially feared”, he declared. The President admitted the possibility of visiting this Saturday the injured of the accident, who were transported to Coimbra.
André Rito
News updated at 18h59
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