PARIS: A passenger train travelling between Rouen and Caen in northern France derailed on Friday evening, injuring 44 people, including an 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to hospital in critical condition, French authorities said.
The train was carrying around 180 passengers when it went off the rails near Cléon in Normandy at about 7:30pm local time, according to French officials and railway operator SNCF.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed the derailment and said emergency crews had been deployed to assist passengers and those injured in the accident.
The cause of the derailment had not immediately been established.
A French police spokesperson said the train appeared to have derailed after striking an unidentified object. SNCF and police subsequently launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Driver tests negative for drugs and alcohol
Rouen prosecutor Sebastien Gallois said 44 people were injured in the incident, including the woman who remained in critical condition.
Gallois said tests conducted on the train driver for drugs and alcohol were negative.
Authorities activated a mass-casualty response following the accident. More than 130 firefighters, five medical teams and dozens of emergency vehicles were dispatched to the site.
Transport Minister Tabarot separately said around 140 firefighters had taken part in the emergency response.
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Passenger describes violent jolts
A 24-year-old passenger, identified as Louis, described a series of increasingly violent jolts shortly before the train derailed.
Speaking to ICI Normandie radio, he said the shaking became so severe that he could no longer remain in his seat. Some windows were partially shattered, while stones from the railway track entered the carriage.
“It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said.
Emergency crews worked to evacuate passengers and treat those injured at the scene.
Rail services suspended
SNCF Réseau, which operates France’s rail infrastructure, said services on the affected line had been suspended and power to the tracks was cut to allow emergency teams to work safely.
Train services between Rouen and Caen, as well as between Caen and Le Havre, were suspended. SNCF said replacement buses would be arranged for affected passengers.
The Seine-Maritime prefecture urged people to stay away from the area while emergency responders and investigators continued their work.
Police and railway authorities are investigating the circumstances of the derailment, including the unidentified object that the train may have struck before leaving the tracks.
