Commuter Trains Collide in Recife, Leaving 47 Passengers Injured

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Two trains from the Recife Metro (Metrorec) crashed at 5:40 AM on Tuesday, February 18th, at the Ipiranga Station, on the line connecting downtown to cities in the Metropolitan Region. The crash left at least 47 passengers injured, who were attended to by the Fire Department and the Emergency Mobile Service (SAMU) and rushed to nearby health facilities.

A train was stationary on the platform when another crashed upon arrival at the station, according to the Brazilian Urban Train Company (CBTU). The crash paralyzed the Metrorec Center Line in the morning and there was still no estimate of the network’s return to operation at around 11:45 AM.

The Company states that the train came into the station at low speed, and did not cause any major damage to the cabin of the other affected train. “There were no fatalities. We have a crisis management group, which will conduct an assessment. In 35 years on the subway, no accident of this nature has ever happened,” said Salvino Gomes, Metrorec’s press officer.

In addition to Metrorec’s internal inquiry, which will have 30 days to complete the investigation on what caused the accident, the Criminalistics Institute of Pernambuco will also investigate the incident and analyze CCTV footage that captured the event.

The SAMU’s last report notes that the injured were rushed to the Emergency Units of Imbiribeira, Caxangá, and Ibura, as well as the Hospital da Restauração, Policlínica de Afogados and private medical clinics. The passengers’ names have not been disclosed.

The Fire Department has not disclosed the number of passengers rescued in the operation and Metrorec’s advisors state that they are contacting the victims’ families in order to determine what happened during the collision.

With 37 stations, Metrorec runs 55 daily trips between Recife, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Camaragibe, and Cabo de Santo Agostinho. The Central Line, which was affected yesterday morning, carries approximately 240,000 passengers daily. As a result of the accident, the Greater Recife Transportation Consortium increased the number of bus and BRT lines in circulation in the Recife capital.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo