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| French train collision 'kills 12' | French train collision 'kills 12' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Twelve people have been killed and about 20 injured in a head-on train collision in north-eastern France, the state-owned rail firm SNCF has said. | Twelve people have been killed and about 20 injured in a head-on train collision in north-eastern France, the state-owned rail firm SNCF has said. |
| A passenger train collided with a goods train in Zoufftgen, near the Luxembourg border, at about 1145 (0945 GMT). | A passenger train collided with a goods train in Zoufftgen, near the Luxembourg border, at about 1145 (0945 GMT). |
| An SNCF spokesman said the two trains had been sent onto the same section of track after engineering works had restricted traffic to a single track. | An SNCF spokesman said the two trains had been sent onto the same section of track after engineering works had restricted traffic to a single track. |
| "It is an apocalyptic vision," senior regional official Bernard Mertz said. | "It is an apocalyptic vision," senior regional official Bernard Mertz said. |
| "There's a mess of steel and tangled metal, with wagons up-ended and pointing into the sky," he said. | "There's a mess of steel and tangled metal, with wagons up-ended and pointing into the sky," he said. |
| SNCF said two train drivers had died, as well as nine passengers and a person working on the track. | SNCF said two train drivers had died, as well as nine passengers and a person working on the track. |
| However, local government officials in the Lorraine region said the death toll was lower. | |
| They said five people had been killed, and five hurt, in the crash. | |
| Trapped | Trapped |
| The passenger train left Luxembourg at 1130 and was due to arrive in the city of Nancy at 1255. | The passenger train left Luxembourg at 1130 and was due to arrive in the city of Nancy at 1255. |
| It collided with the freight train, which was heading north to Luxembourg. | It collided with the freight train, which was heading north to Luxembourg. |
| SNCF told reporters its train had received a green signal to switch onto the first track, as the second one was closed for maintenance work. | SNCF told reporters its train had received a green signal to switch onto the first track, as the second one was closed for maintenance work. |
| A spokesman said: "For reasons that are not clear, these two trains came together head-to-head." | A spokesman said: "For reasons that are not clear, these two trains came together head-to-head." |
| The number of passengers on board the double-decker regional express is not known. | The number of passengers on board the double-decker regional express is not known. |
| More than 100 rescue workers were at the crash site to set up a mobile hospital and treat victims, a local fire chief, Samuel Gesret, told French television. | More than 100 rescue workers were at the crash site to set up a mobile hospital and treat victims, a local fire chief, Samuel Gesret, told French television. |
| "We are faced with an important and dramatic situation," Eric Soupra, a local civil security official, told French radio. | "We are faced with an important and dramatic situation," Eric Soupra, a local civil security official, told French radio. |
| Some of the wounded were trapped in the wreckage and would have to be cut out, he said. | Some of the wounded were trapped in the wreckage and would have to be cut out, he said. |
| Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Transport Minister Dominique Perben are travelling to the scene, as well as investigators who will be looking into the cause of the crash. | Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Transport Minister Dominique Perben are travelling to the scene, as well as investigators who will be looking into the cause of the crash. |
| Are you affected by this story? Use the form below to tell us your experiences or send us your reaction. | Are you affected by this story? Use the form below to tell us your experiences or send us your reaction. |
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