Netherlands train crash: At least one dead and dozens injured in horror derailment
AT LEAST one person has been killed and around 30 injured after a passenger train derailed and burst into flames in the Netherlands.
Passengers were left screaming in terror as the train left the tracks in the early hours of the morning near the village of Voorschhoten.
Up to 50 people on board were trapped in the darkness in overturned carriages after the train slammed into construction equipment.
It was travelling to The Hague from Leiden when it collided with the apparatus at around 3.25am local time this morning.
Reports suggest the double-decker train had stuck a construction crane that was on or near the track.
A fire is believed to have then broken out in the rear carriages after it derailed around 34 miles south of the capital Amsterdam.
Chilling images from the scene show plumes of black smoke billowing from the wreckage after it erupted in flames.
The front carriage appears to have left the tracks and ploughed into a field, while the second landed on its side, ANP reported.
Ambulance services, including a trauma helicopter, rushed to the scene after the devastating crash.
Hollands Midden emergency services said at least 30 injured people were being treated on scene.
Another 11 were being treated in the houses of local residents while the most seriously injured were rushed to nearby hospitals.
The death toll and severity of injuries sustained was not immediately clear.
One witness described the moment of sheer terror as people were left scrambling in the darkness when the train crashed.
The unidentified traveller told the local Omroep West television news channel: “We heard a loud bang and suddenly the lights went out.
“We couldn’t initially get out of the train because there was no electricity.”
Some images of the wreckage show a string of broken windows in the carriages, although it is unclear if this was caused by the crash or passengers’ escape attempts.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte paid tribute to the victims of the horror train in a tweet.
He wrote: “A terrible train accident near Voorschoten, where unfortunately one person died and many people were injured.
“My thoughts are with the relatives and with all the victims. I wish them all the best.”
Dutch Railways said that trains between Leiden and parts of The Hague were cancelled due to the collision.
John Voppen, CEO of the rail network company Pro Rail, called the incident “a black day for Dutch railways” and said the cause of the crash was under investigation.
Officials from the Dutch Safety Board – a body that conducts independent investigations into accidents – have been dispatched to the scene.