High-speed passenger train Crash in Netherlands Kills 1, Leaves 19 Seriously Injured

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Dutch Railways

Amsterdam: One person died and 19 others were seriously injured early Tuesday when a high-speed passenger train slammed into construction equipment and derailed, emergency services told news agency AFP.

“One person has died and at least 30 people have been injured. Eleven people are being housed in homes of residents, while the seriously injured are taken to hospital,” Hollands Midden emergency services was quoted as saying by the AFP.

The crash took place near the village of Voorschoten, between The Hague and Amsterdam.

The accident happened at around 3:30 am (local time). The double-decker intercity train slammed onto a construction crane and other materials on the tracks at Voorschoten, about eight kilometres from the Hague.

Images shared by Dutch media showed the front carriage derailed and ploughing into a nearby field. The second carrier landed on its side. One carriage caught fire while the third carriage remained upright, AFP said, citing Dutch news agency ANP.

It was earlier reported that the train collided with another train but later local officials said that the train collided with a construction crane. A freight train was present on spot but was not involved in the crash.

Dutch Railways

Dutch Railways (NS) said in a tweet that trains between Leiden city and parts of The Hague were cancelled due to the collision.

Close to 60 people were on board when the collision occurred. Ambulance services, trauma helicopters and other emergency services were rushed to the scene en masse and those injured were taken to the hospital.

“We heard a loud bang and suddenly the lights went out. We couldn’t initially get out of the train because there was no electricity,” an unidentified witness told the local Omroep West television news.

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