Viareggio Train Station: Collision in Italy

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Now Public

Reports out of Italy are saying that two train cars carrying gas have collided at the Viareggio train station causing an explosion that has killed at least two people, including one woman, and injured many others.

This is a breaking news story and we will update it as news comes in.

Please note, the following news quotes were taken from Italian media and translated to English using Google translate:

Tragedy in the night in Viareggio, where a train carrying gas is derailed and caught fire. According to unconfirmed items, there would be deaths and injuries. The accident happened around midnight and a half. The first, fragmentary news reports that the train had come close to the station of Viareggio, where the derailment took place. Two wagons containing gas is then exploded. Some people were burned dead, others are in serious burns.



Read more: http://www.nowpublic.com/world/viareggio-train-station-collision-italy-gas-explosion-kills

---

I knew it had happened and this was the only link I could find.

[babylonsister]

1. That sounds awful, and during the night? Thanks for the info. nt

[CTyankee]

2. It's in the region of Tuscany along with Lucca. I absolutely fell in love with Lucca.

A great, walled town where you can't even take a car.

Here's Wiki on Viareggio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viareggio

gotta love these little Tuscan towns...

[Tangerine LaBamba]

5. My best friends live there -

this is their place - http://www.agardeninlucca.com/

They rent out their guest house in the season, and they've entertained people like Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, all sort of luminaries.

But the best thing is that their villa -16th century, and wonderfully restored - was in a German magazine a couple of years ago, and a German billionaire, without ever seeing the place in person, offered them $19,000,000 for it.

I asked if that included the linens.

They turned him down, and I still have my room in the main house...........................

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. Viareggio isn't a "village" -

it's a beautiful, small city. I've had some lovely times there. My best friends live in Lucca, and they sell the olive oil they produce from their olive grove to some of the restaurants in Viareggio.

I hope the damage is not extensive, that no one else dies................

[pkdu]

4. A little more here....(BBC)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8125644.stm

[pkdu]

6. On youtube already!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq3k3RmMoGk

[targetpractice]

7. Station has collapsed and nearby homes are on fire

...according to RaiNews24 TV (this is from @breakingnews Twitter feed).

[Italyloveobama]

8. ESPLOSIONE ALLA STAZIONE DI VIAREGGIO-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIw6r9pnMOc

[Beacool]

13. Oh, my God!!!

Those poor people!!! I'm so sorry.

Che disgrazia!!! Le mie condoglianze a tutti Viareggio.

Forza!!!

:(

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. At least 15 people killed and 50 injured

At least 15 people have been killed and some 50 injured after a freight train carrying gas derailed and exploded in northern Italy, officials say.

The wagons jumped the tracks and crashed into several homes, setting off an inferno in the seaside town of Viareggio in the middle of the night.

Several of the victims died when their houses collapsed. There are fears some people may be trapped under the rubble.
...
The explosion happened shortly before midnight local time (2300 BST) when one wagon in the 14-car train carrying liquefied petroleum gas came off the tracks before ploughing into several homes near the station in Viareggio.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8125644.stm

[MADem]

10. Wow. That video looked pretty ghastly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq3k3RmMoGk&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Enowpublic%2Ecom%2Fworld%2Fviareggio%2Dtrain%2Dstation%2Dcollision%2Ditaly%2Dfatal%2Dgas%2Dexplosion&feature=player_embedded

[cascadiance]

11. Inferno Engulfs Homes After Train Explodes

Source: Sky News

Nick Pisa in Rome

At least 15 people have reportedly been killed and about 50 wounded after liquefied gas tanks on a derailed freight train exploded in northern Italy.


Firefighter sprays water on cars of a freight train in Viareggio, Italy, after it exploded

A firefighter sprays water on a car of the freight train

The subsequent fireball engulfed homes close to the Tuscan town of Viareggio.

Rescue workers said 15 had died but Guido Bertolasso, head of Italy's civil protection agency, put the number of victims at 12.

About 35 of those injured were described as being in a serious or critical condition.

Emergency services said some had suffered horrific burns or been hurt when buildings caught in the blast collapsed.

...

Read more: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Italy-Train-Gas-Tank-Explosion-Kills-Several-Derailed-Carriage-Causes-Explosion-Near-Viareggio/Article/200906415323889?lpos=World_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15323889_Italy_Train_Gas

---

Damn, looks pretty bad. Makes the DC train wreck last week look tame comparison.

[Buzz Clik]

12. The US had a similar wreck in Illinois last week.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090620/ap_on_re_us/us_illinois_train_derailment

Could have been much, much worse.

[Blue_Tires]

14. some italian flack interviewed hinted at track damage causing the accident?

maybe sabotage?