At least three people have been killed and more than 10 seriously injured after a packed regional train derailed Thursday during rush hour in northern Italy, emergency services said.
Two cars came off the rails in the horror crash, which occurred at the Pioltello Limito station on the outskirts of Milan this morning. Only the cars in the middle of the train derailed.
The regional train was en route from the town of Cremona to the center of Italy's economic capital.
About 100 other people sustained light injuries, Cristina Corbetta, an official with the regional emergency services in Milan, told Sky TG24.
A train derailment near Italy’s financial capital Milan killed between three and five people on Thursday, a fire brigade official at the city’s control room said.
State train firm Ferrovie dello Stato said in a statement a regional train, operated by Trenord, derailed at the Pioltello Limito station, some 40 kilometers from Milan, without giving details on potential casualties.
“There are between three and five dead in the accident from what we know at the moment,” Reuters quoted the fire official as saying. The death toll is expected to rise.
The accident has caused massive delays along the railways connecting Milano and Venice, according to local media.
Television footage showed fire brigades trying to free people trapped inside the wagons of the train, which were bent by the impact.
Trenord is a joint venture between railway operator FNM and one unit of state railway operator Gruppo Ferrovie dello Stato.
In a statement, FNM confirmed the accident had happened at Pioltello and said its Chairman Andrea Gibelli was on his way to the site.
