Disasters & Accidents

1 dead, dozens injured after train derails in western Netherlands

The Hague, Apr 4 (EFE).- At least one person has died and over 30 were injured after a passenger train derailed and rammed into a construction site in the western Netherlands on Tuesday.

The crash took place at 3:25 local time (1:25 GMT) as the train transporting up to 60 people was traveling from the city of Leiden to The Hague.

Some 19 people were hospitalized for their injuries.

Emergency services and a critical care helicopter were deployed to the site of the collision.

The Leiden train station has been closed and no trains are running from the city until damage on the tracks has been prepared, debris has been removed and investigators have finished combing the site of the accident for evidence.

ProRail, the state-backed company responsible for the maintenance of tracks, said that two of the four tracks between the affected cities would be out of service due to infrastructure work.

Dutch transport minister, Mark Harbers, spoke of “a terrible accident” on Twitter and thanked the rapid response of the emergency services.

“A terrible train accident near Voorschoten, where unfortunately one person died and many people were injured,” prime minister Mark Rutte said.

“My thoughts are with the relatives and with all the victims. I wish them all the best,” Rutte added. EFE

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