Mexico bus-train collision kills 16
Saturday 14 February 2015 10.58
At least 16 people were killed and 30 were
injured when a freight train slammed into a packed passenger bus in
northeastern Mexico last night, authorities said, warning the death toll
could rise.
The collision happened when the bus was attempting to cross rail tracks in the city of Anahuac, Nuevo Leon, state civil protection chief Jorge Camacho told AFP.
The accident occurred just after 5pm (11pm Irish time) at Camarones station, near the border with the United States.
Two children were among the 16 dead, said Mayor Desiderio Urteaga, although other local officials warned that the final toll could be nearer to at least 20 because some passengers were trapped after the crash.
Images broadcast by local media showed the bus smashed open and split in half by the force of the train.
Nine women and five men were identified among the dead, in addition to the two children, Mr Camacho said.
Of the 30 people injured, 22 were taken to hospitals in the nearby border town of Nuevo Laredo, around 60km away.
The bus, which normally transports around 40 people, was traveling with 60 passengers, as it made its way from Nuevo Laredo to the northern city of Nueva Rosita.
Mr Camacho said an investigation was under way to determine whether the bus driver was trying to beat the train when the vehicle was struck.
But prosecutors would determine the cause of the accident who was responsible, he added.
There was no fog or rain in the area at the time, he said.
Prosecutors were already at the scene.
The collision happened when the bus was attempting to cross rail tracks in the city of Anahuac, Nuevo Leon, state civil protection chief Jorge Camacho told AFP.
The accident occurred just after 5pm (11pm Irish time) at Camarones station, near the border with the United States.
Two children were among the 16 dead, said Mayor Desiderio Urteaga, although other local officials warned that the final toll could be nearer to at least 20 because some passengers were trapped after the crash.
Images broadcast by local media showed the bus smashed open and split in half by the force of the train.
Nine women and five men were identified among the dead, in addition to the two children, Mr Camacho said.
Of the 30 people injured, 22 were taken to hospitals in the nearby border town of Nuevo Laredo, around 60km away.
The bus, which normally transports around 40 people, was traveling with 60 passengers, as it made its way from Nuevo Laredo to the northern city of Nueva Rosita.
Mr Camacho said an investigation was under way to determine whether the bus driver was trying to beat the train when the vehicle was struck.
But prosecutors would determine the cause of the accident who was responsible, he added.
There was no fog or rain in the area at the time, he said.
Prosecutors were already at the scene.
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