Two train accidents in the south yesterday

A serious train crash to the east of Montpellier when a TER (local train) travelling at 140kph hit a tree which had fallen onto the line caused serious injuries to 8 passengers. The injured were helicoptered to hospitals nearby. The main line trains from Bordeaux were halted at Toulouse and trains from Lyon to Bordeaux were all cancelled. TERs from Toulouse all ended at Montpellier. SNCF could not say on Wednesday evening when circulation would return to normal. Check their website for details of trains running.

Photo: Eric Proenca-Pina

A second accident happened when a TER to Toulouse from Mazamet collided with a delivery van at a level crossing. The lorry driver was seriously injured. The delivery driver after leaving a supermarket car park got stuck between the crossing gates. Witnesses say got out to try and open them manually. The train coming from Mazamet hit the lorry, carrying it 20 metres and scattering its contents. The lorry driver was hit by debris and taken to Purpan hospital. None of the 40 passengers on the train nor the driver was injured.
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