At least six people die in train-bus collision in southern Slovakia
The hospital in Nové Zámky, where the accident happened, has closed.
A fatal traffic accident occurred at a railway crossing on Dvorská Street (II/1503) in Nové Zámky, southern Slovakia, shortly after five o'clock on Thursday afternoon.
At least six people died and another five were injured in a collision between the EuroCity 279 train and an Arriva bus. Five victims burned to death inside the bus, reports the news website tvnoviny.sk. None of the passengers on the international train were injured.
Five ambulances, three helicopters, and several fire crews were called to the scene, reports the My Nové Zámky website. The Red Cross set up a tent on site.
The causes of the accident are under investigation. According to My Nové Zámky, two trains passed through the crossing in quick succession. The bus initially stopped at the crossing. When the barriers opened after the first train passed, the bus entered the crossing and was subsequently struck by another train.
The accident took place on the main international route used by trains travelling between Budapest-Bratislava-Prague. The EC train involved was headed towards Budapest. The locomotive and train driver belonged to the České Dráhy company (Czech Railways), while the train set and personnel belonged to Železničná spoločnosť Slovensko (Slovak Railways).
"More than 100 passengers were on the train, for whom we have arranged alternative transportation to Štúrovo station," ZSSK spokesperson Dominik Drevický said.
According to My Nové Zámky, around 200 people were on the train. Nine people, including the bus driver, were on the bus.
The bus was torn into two parts after the collision. The bus driver is said to be in serious condition after the collision.
Due to the accident, at least three international express trains have been halted. EC 131 Bathory and EC 173 Hungaria are stationed at Nové Zámky station, both heading towards Budapest. Heading in the opposite direction, EC 270 Metropolitan has also been halted.
Road 511 is impassable. A detour route leads from Nitrianska Street in Nové Zámky via Považská Street towards Dvory nad Žitavou on road I/75.
The hospital in Nové Zámky is non-functional following Wednesday's storm. Patients are being transported to hospitals in Komárno, Levice, Galanta, and at Kramáre Hospital in Bratislava, the website reports.
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