Close to disaster: truck crashes into S-Bahn – 16 injured!

Close to disaster: truck crashes into S-Bahn – 16 injured!

A serious accident occurred today in St. Ruprecht an der Raab in Eastern Styria when a truck crashed into a railcar on S-Bahn line 31. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. at an unguarded railway crossing. Both vehicles were immediately set on fire by the impact, and the train's cab was completely burned out. The massive smoke development was visible from far away. Cosmo reported that the driver of the truck suffered serious injuries and was flown to the hospital in a rescue helicopter.

Of the ten passengers on the train, three were slightly injured, including the train driver. Other passengers suffered shock and required medical attention. A total of 16 people had to be treated, including workers from a neighboring construction site who had inhaled smoke gas.

Fire brigade operation and consequences of the accident

Over 70 firefighters and 14 emergency vehicles were deployed to fight the major fire. The extinguishing work took several hours and the truck was completely destroyed in the collision. In addition, an old signal box threatened to fall onto the tracks, which further endangered the situation.

The police have already started an investigation into the cause of the accident. The level crossing where the accident occurred was not secured with barriers, but only with traffic signs. A traffic light was also present, but the exact cause remains unclear. Due to the incident, the rail connection between Gleisdorf and Weiz remains interrupted and a replacement rail service has been organized.

Rail accidents in a global context

Such incidents can be placed in a larger context. The International Union of Railways (UIC) has found in its latest report that there was an increase in significant accidents and casualties in rail transport in 2022. This happened despite declines in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The UIC safety index, which weights accidents by type, cause and number of victims, shows that rail safety remains a major challenge. Locomotive Report explains that data on significant accidents has been collected since 2006 and the focus is on improving safety standards.

Research illustrates the connection between accidents and various factors in the infrastructure. There are 34 members in the EU who participate in the UIC safety database and provide important data on the causes and consequences of accidents. This information is crucial to continuously improve safety standards in rail transport and prevent future accidents.