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| Argentina train crash leaves hundreds of casualties | Argentina train crash leaves hundreds of casualties |
| (4 months later) | |
| A speeding commuter train slammed into another that had stopped between stations during the morning commute on Thursday in suburban Buenos Aires. Three passengers were confirmed dead and more than 300 injured on a line that has been under Argentinian government control since a deadly crash in 2012. | A speeding commuter train slammed into another that had stopped between stations during the morning commute on Thursday in suburban Buenos Aires. Three passengers were confirmed dead and more than 300 injured on a line that has been under Argentinian government control since a deadly crash in 2012. |
| The state-run train agency dismissed possible brake failure as a cause and suggested that the conductor was at fault. | The state-run train agency dismissed possible brake failure as a cause and suggested that the conductor was at fault. |
| Satellite images showed the train had braked normally at the previous station and then rolled past four functioning warning signals without stopping before the crash, the agency said. "Before a warning signal the conductor should completely stop the formation, a situation that did not happen." | Satellite images showed the train had braked normally at the previous station and then rolled past four functioning warning signals without stopping before the crash, the agency said. "Before a warning signal the conductor should completely stop the formation, a situation that did not happen." |
| Instead the train accelerated continually from the moment it left the previous station, reaching a speed of 38.5mph (62km/h) on impact, said the transportation minister, Florencio Randazzo. That was three times faster than the train that crashed into the downtown Once station on the same line in 2012, killing 51 passengers and injuring more than 700. | Instead the train accelerated continually from the moment it left the previous station, reaching a speed of 38.5mph (62km/h) on impact, said the transportation minister, Florencio Randazzo. That was three times faster than the train that crashed into the downtown Once station on the same line in 2012, killing 51 passengers and injuring more than 700. |
| The conductors and their assistants on both of the trains involved in Thursday's crash were ordered detained by a judge for investigation on charges of "wreaking havoc followed by death", the state news agency Telam reported. | The conductors and their assistants on both of the trains involved in Thursday's crash were ordered detained by a judge for investigation on charges of "wreaking havoc followed by death", the state news agency Telam reported. |
| Randazzo said that the train workers passed alcohol breath tests before their shifts, a safety measure the government imposed after the previous crash. | Randazzo said that the train workers passed alcohol breath tests before their shifts, a safety measure the government imposed after the previous crash. |
| The president, Cristina Fernandez, referred to the crash briefly on Thursday: "I feel a little bit of rage, and impotence, because we've been putting in everything, very many economic and human resources. And that things like this happen, it hurts all of us." The president said the justice system should be left to handle the matter. Argentina's independent auditor general, Leandro Despouy, who delivered a blistering report on the causes of the 2012 crash, suggested there were systemic problems with the rail system due to many years of mismanagement, corruption and disrepair. "We've been warning that this tragedy could happen again," Despouy told Radio de la Red. "Today it's a courageous move to travel by train." | The president, Cristina Fernandez, referred to the crash briefly on Thursday: "I feel a little bit of rage, and impotence, because we've been putting in everything, very many economic and human resources. And that things like this happen, it hurts all of us." The president said the justice system should be left to handle the matter. Argentina's independent auditor general, Leandro Despouy, who delivered a blistering report on the causes of the 2012 crash, suggested there were systemic problems with the rail system due to many years of mismanagement, corruption and disrepair. "We've been warning that this tragedy could happen again," Despouy told Radio de la Red. "Today it's a courageous move to travel by train." |
| The train slammed into the back of another at 7.07am between the stations of Moron and Castelar on the Sarmiento line, which links the Argentinian capital's densely populated western suburbs to the downtown Once station. Witnesses described the impact as "explosive," shaking the walls of nearby homes and derailing several of the train cars. | The train slammed into the back of another at 7.07am between the stations of Moron and Castelar on the Sarmiento line, which links the Argentinian capital's densely populated western suburbs to the downtown Once station. Witnesses described the impact as "explosive," shaking the walls of nearby homes and derailing several of the train cars. |
| Some passengers were able to stumble out of the wreckage and walk along the tracks in the pre-dawn darkness, while many others waited for rescue workers to pull them out. | Some passengers were able to stumble out of the wreckage and walk along the tracks in the pre-dawn darkness, while many others waited for rescue workers to pull them out. |
| The provincial health ministry said at least three passengers were killed and 315 injured, five of them verst seriously. Some suffered skull fractures and exposed broken bones, said Marcelo Marmonto, who directs the Luis Guemes hospital in Haedo. | The provincial health ministry said at least three passengers were killed and 315 injured, five of them verst seriously. Some suffered skull fractures and exposed broken bones, said Marcelo Marmonto, who directs the Luis Guemes hospital in Haedo. |
| Passengers on the Sarmiento line are accustomed to squeezing into extremely crowded cars during peak commuting times but these trains had many fewer people on board because they were headed outbound from Argentina's capital. | Passengers on the Sarmiento line are accustomed to squeezing into extremely crowded cars during peak commuting times but these trains had many fewer people on board because they were headed outbound from Argentina's capital. |
| Union leader Ruben Sobrero defended the workers and said the train should not have been brought into service. It had been in the shop for six months, then brought online, only to be withdrawn again because of brake problems, he said. Union members had warned of brake dangers but it was brought into service anyway, Sobrero alleged. | Union leader Ruben Sobrero defended the workers and said the train should not have been brought into service. It had been in the shop for six months, then brought online, only to be withdrawn again because of brake problems, he said. Union members had warned of brake dangers but it was brought into service anyway, Sobrero alleged. |
| Randazzo, named by Fernandez to improve the commuter rail system after last year's fatal crash, said a "black box" recording the train's movements would point to those responsible and cast doubt on brake failure. "It had new brakes," he said. | Randazzo, named by Fernandez to improve the commuter rail system after last year's fatal crash, said a "black box" recording the train's movements would point to those responsible and cast doubt on brake failure. "It had new brakes," he said. |
| Opposition politicians said the government was to blame. "The accident puts into evidence the absence of the state, the laziness and the lack of concern for the life of the citizens," Radical party congresswoman Elsa Alvarez said in a statement. "Is this the transportation revolution the national government has been announcing?" | Opposition politicians said the government was to blame. "The accident puts into evidence the absence of the state, the laziness and the lack of concern for the life of the citizens," Radical party congresswoman Elsa Alvarez said in a statement. "Is this the transportation revolution the national government has been announcing?" |
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