Hundreds of specialist emergency teams are tonight on-site at a developing rail crisis on the outskirts of Dubrovka.
Initial reports from emergency teams heading to the scene suggested that a high-speed train had lost the ability to control its brakes. The fire service has been briefed as the unfolding crisis seems to have involved a collision and large-scale impact. A call was reported at around 8pm this evening, and was then directed to the federal emergency department.
It is still unclear who reported the incident – but emergency crews were on-scene quickly. Flames continue to blaze around the site and pictures coming from PTV show a worsening crisis as crews have arrived throughout the night. One eyewitness close the site tonight described the situation as an “unfolding tragedy” as teams have raced to the scene. The city, located in the state of Buratiyan in the north, is served by several major transportation lines, with the largest being the high-speed ‘Delta’ passenger line which links the state with the capital, Karasicena.
The busy rail route is operated by national rail operator ‘Momentum’, who tonight have not yet released a statement.
The train is thought to be one of the company’s fastest units, serving the capital within two hours.
The route was controversially built in 2004 and was opened by former President and current Prime Minister, Koruin Gruaman. Just a year ago the line was altered and extended, to serve the new military town of Ria-Rednav and the units upgraded, to reach speeds of nearly 150 kilometres an hour. Rail experts tonight are assessing why such a new unit could fail in such a catastrophic way – with sources suggesting it caught fire before disconnecting from the tracks. The train is thought to have been built by a Polascianan company.
Kristina Rudakov, who is the State Minister responsible for transport, tonight said the government was doing all it could to help support the emergency services who are on site. She reassured the public that “all necessary investigations” would be carried out in due course, but the priority of the government was to establish a “strong and comprehensive” response to the disaster.
Sources close to the emergency services tonight are suggesting that nearly 200 passengers could be injured, with any fatalities expected to be confirmed in the morning.
Ms Rudakov denied that the train had derailed while passing through a station, but did confirm that vehicles and another rail carriage were involved. She commented that she was in contact with both the operator and the manufacturer, thought to be Burov, and insisted that the emergency services had responded “swiftly” and “appropriately”.
Opposition transport spokesman, Dmitri Kreshnenv, however said the government must help the public establish the facts. He stressed that the Union Party was working with the government, but that no helpline for worried members of the public was available.
