Virilla Canyon Railway Accident
In the railway accident at Virilla Canyon on March 14, 1926, an overcrowded train derailed on a bridge over the Río Virilla in Costa Rica . 248 people died.
Starting position
The train was an excursion train with six cars of the United Fruit Company , which this Sunday of Alajuela and Heredia to Cartago was traveling. The excursion train was a fundraiser to raise money for a retirement home. Most of the travelers were peasants and workers . They intended to visit the Black Madonna, who is considered to be miraculous, in Cartago . The offer turned out to be so popular that the train was completely overcrowded, and more than 1000 tickets were sold.
Course of the accident
At around 8:20 am the train reached the bridge over the Virilla Canyon, which was facing a curve. The heavy weight of the overcrowded train and an inadequately fastened rail , which gave way to the centrifugal force , led to the fact that the last car derailed and pulled two more cars off the track . One of the wagons fell down the embankment, more than 60 meters into the river, where it sank 15 meters.
consequences
248 people died, 93 were also injured. The government of Costa Rica ordered a three-day state mourning .
See also
literature
- Peter WB Semmens: Disasters on the rails. A worldwide documentation. Transpress, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-344-71030-3 .
Web links
Remarks
- ↑ Semmens, p. 77, gives the number of 238 dead.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Semmens, p. 77.
- ^ Latin America: Disasters .
- ↑ The Times v. March 16, 1926, p. 16: Costa Rican Train Disaster .
- ↑ Semmens, p. 77.
- ↑ The Times v. March 16, 1926, p. 16: Costa Rican Train Disaster .
Coordinates: 9 ° 57 '57.8 " N , 84 ° 5' 25.1" W.