At least 10 dead in French train collision

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Wednesday October 11, 2006

Metz, France- At least 10 people were killed and some 20 were injured when a regional train collided with a freight train Wednesday near the northern French village of Zoufftgen, rescue workers from the nearby city of Metz confirmed. The head-on collision involved a double-decker TER regional train travelling from Luxembourg to the French city of Nancy and a train carrying freight from Thionville to Luxembourg, a spokesman for the French SNCF railway network indicated.

An official for local rescue workers, Eric Suppra, told France Info radio that a number of the injured were trapped inside the wreck of the passenger train and would have to be cut out. He noted that the death toll was provisional and could still mount.

A spokesman for SNCF said the accident occurred at a spot where the railway track was being repaired. "As a result of this work there was only one railway line in operation and (two-way) traffic was being run alternately," the spokesman said.

However, he added that it was not yet known why the two trains found themselves on the track at the same time.

Transport Minister Dominique Perben would be travelling to the site of the accident later Wednesday, his ministry said.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency