17 injured in train collision in Italy
At least 17 people were injured in a collision between two trains in northern Italy, according to information provided by the firefighting department and the train operating company.
The firefighting department stated in a statement on social media that a high-speed train and another collided on the railway line connecting the cities of Bologna and Rimini, adding that at least 17 people suffered minor injuries.
A spokesperson for the national train operating company, Trenitalia, confirmed to the French news agency that the injuries were limited to bruises.
He added, “It was a collision at very low speeds,” indicating that the investigation is ongoing.
Images released by firefighters showed the front ends of the trains colliding with each other, but the front of the regional train remained intact.
The Minister of Transport and Deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, stated that he is closely monitoring the situation and seeking information about what happened and the possible responsibilities.
The incident occurred three months after five railway workers died when they were hit by a train during night maintenance work on the Milan-Turin line on August 31.
A previous incident in 2020 resulted in the death of two railway workers and injuries to 31 passengers when a train derailed just before dawn near a train station south of Milan.
In January 2018, three women died, and about 100 people were injured when a crowded passenger train derailed near Milan. The incident was blamed on poor railway maintenance.
