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Loose rail connector 'caused France train crash' Loose rail connector 'may have caused' France crash
(about 1 hour later)
The train crash south of Paris which left six people dead was caused by a fault in the rail tracks, says the state rail company. The train crash south of Paris which left six people dead may have been caused by a fault in the rail tracks, says the state rail company.
SNCF said a metal bar connecting two rails had become detached close to Bretigny-sur-Orge station.SNCF said a metal bar connecting two rails had become detached close to Bretigny-sur-Orge station.
Earlier, Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier ruled out human error and praised the train driver for averting a worse accident. Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier has praised the driver, saying his quick actions averted a worse accident.
Thirty people were injured in the accident, eight of them seriously. Those killed were four men and two women, aged between 19 and 82. Thirty people were injured, eight seriously.
The train had just left Paris on Friday afternoon and was heading for Limoges when it derailed at Bretigny-sur-Orge. A minute's silence was held across France's train network at noon on Saturday to commemorate the victims.
Giving its initial findings, SNCF management told reporters the connector had worked its way loose and become detached at points 200m from Bretigny station causing the train to derail. The train had just left Paris on Friday afternoon and was heading for Limoges when it derailed at Bretigny-sur-Orge at 17:14 (15:14 GMT) on Friday.
The inquiry is now expected to focus on how the piece of metal had become detached, and checks on these components are to be carried out on the whole of the network. Transport routes were particularly busy at the time, as France began a long weekend for Bastille Day.
Six carriages derailed as the train passed through the station at 137km/h (85mph). The train's third and fourth carriages derailed first and the others followed. One mounted the station platform.
Giving its initial findings, SNCF management told reporters the connector had worked its way loose and become detached at points 200m outside Bretigny station.
"It moved into the centre of the switch and in this position it prevented the normal passage of the train's wheels and it may have caused the derailment," Pierre Izard, SNCF's general manager for infrastructure, told reporters.
'Extraordinary reflexes''Extraordinary reflexes'
Six carriages derailed as the train passed through the station at 137km/h (85mph). The train's third and fourth carriages derailed first and the others followed. One mounted the station platform in the accident which happened at 17:14 (15:14 GMT). The inquiry is now expected to focus on how the piece of metal had become detached.
Checks are being carried out on some 5,000 similar connections across the whole of the rail network.
A crane has arrived on site to lift a carriage which was left on its side.
Regional government head Michel Fuzeau said there was a possibility that more bodies could be found underneath, but that there was "no hope of finding anyone wounded".
Aside from SNCF, investigations are being conducted by judicial authorities and France's BEA safety agency.Aside from SNCF, investigations are being conducted by judicial authorities and France's BEA safety agency.
Speaking on RTL radio, Mr Cuvillier said the train driver had reacted quickly to the accident: "Fortunately, the driver of the locomotive had absolutely extraordinary reflexes in that he sounded the alarm immediately, preventing a collision with another train coming in the opposite direction and which would have hit the derailing carriages within seconds. So it is not a human problem." Mr Cuvillier said the driver had "absolutely extraordinary reflexes in that he sounded the alarm immediately, preventing a collision with another train coming in the opposite direction and which would have hit the derailing carriages within seconds".
French transport routes were particularly busy at the time of the crash due to the run-up to a holiday weekend marking Sunday's Bastille Day. SNCF said 385 passengers were on board when the train crashed. The station platforms were crowded. SNCF said 385 passengers were on board when the train crashed and the station platforms were crowded.
British student Marvin Khareem Wone was on a train on another platform when the carriages of the intercity ploughed into the station.British student Marvin Khareem Wone was on a train on another platform when the carriages of the intercity ploughed into the station.
"The train went off the railway; it just went on the platform and kind of flew in the air for a second and went upside down," he told the BBC."The train went off the railway; it just went on the platform and kind of flew in the air for a second and went upside down," he told the BBC.
"The first and the second coach were completely destroyed. I really thought no-one could survive that because it was completely mashed up. Everyone was crying and running everywhere. A woman was crying for her daughter who was still on the train.""The first and the second coach were completely destroyed. I really thought no-one could survive that because it was completely mashed up. Everyone was crying and running everywhere. A woman was crying for her daughter who was still on the train."
'Images of war'
Because of the damage to the station, he said ambulances could not reach the platform and the lift was not working.Because of the damage to the station, he said ambulances could not reach the platform and the lift was not working.
Other media reports spoke of passengers being electrocuted and crushed.
"I saw many wounded women children trapped inside," Vianey Kalisa, who was waiting for his train from Bretigny to Paris, told AFP.
"People were screaming. A man had blood on his face. These are images of war," he said.
Many people feel it was lucky that the accident was not a lot worse, given the violence of the impact and the fact that a packed train ploughed onto the platform at peak time, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris.Many people feel it was lucky that the accident was not a lot worse, given the violence of the impact and the fact that a packed train ploughed onto the platform at peak time, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris.
Local media said a group of people had attempted to steal from the victims and rescuers shortly after the crash and threw stones at emergency workers as they tried to reach passengers.Local media said a group of people had attempted to steal from the victims and rescuers shortly after the crash and threw stones at emergency workers as they tried to reach passengers.
However later Mr Cuvilier said there had only been "isolated acts", including an attempt to steal a mobile phone - although small groups had given the rescuers a "somewhat rough welcome". However later Mr Cuvillier said there had only been "isolated acts", including an attempt to steal a mobile phone - although small groups had given the rescuers a "somewhat rough welcome".
Local socialist MP Jerome Guedj tweeted that it was necessary "not to play things down (...) but not to exaggerate anything either". The Red Cross and France's SAMU rescue service denied they faced any problems in their operations, the AFP news agency reports, while local socialist MP Jerome Guedj tweeted that it was necessary "not to play things down (...) but not to exaggerate anything either".