Railway accident at Peñaranda de Bracamonte
The railway accident in Peñaranda de Bracamonte was a catastrophic explosion that on 9 July 1939 to the station of de Peñaranda Bracamonte , Province of Salamanca occurred. More than 100 people died.
Starting position
The Spanish Civil War had ended three months earlier . A mixed train from Extremadura drove into the station of Peñaranda de Bracamonte , which in addition to the goods wagons carried a passenger car with it. Three of the freight cars were loaded with 23.5 tons of the explosive ammonal , which - because it was cheap to produce - was used in large quantities during the civil war. Another 107 tons of explosives - mainly ammonal too - and 309 tons of ammunition were stored in a freight hall at the station.
the accident
Perhaps caused by a hot runner , the explosives in the three freight cars exploded as the train passed the freight hall. This also ignited explosives and ammunition that were stored in the goods hall. In neighboring places, people were hit by components that were hurled around by the pressure wave of the explosion. The pressure wave could still be felt in a 45 km radius. After the explosion, everyone who was in the vicinity of the goods hall was destroyed without a trace. Parts of the incoming passenger train were found 1.5 km from the explosion center.
consequences
More than 100 people are believed to have died. The exact number could not be determined because it was not possible to determine how many people had been in the vicinity of the explosion and how many had traveled as passengers in the passenger car of the mixed train . More than 1,500 people were injured - around a third of the population of Peñaranda de Bracamonte. A major fire broke out in the vicinity of the explosion, which threatened to destroy the entire place. Its residents were completely evacuated . Fire brigades from a wide area, including from Salamanca about 40 km away , were deployed at the accident site. Injured people had to be treated in hospitals far away, as the Peñaranda de Bracamonte hospital was also destroyed. The state's promises to compensate those affected and to rebuild as a direct consequence of the disaster were only partially met, which led to considerable frustration .
On July 9, 2014, on the 75th anniversary of the explosion, a memorial stele was unveiled at Peñaranda de Bracamonte train station for the victims of the.
literature
Web links
- NN: Entire train missing . In: The Central Queensland Herald v. July 13, 1939, p. 61.
- NN: 130 dead in explosion. Disaster in Spain. Train and Officers dissapear . In: The Border Watch v. July 11, 1939, p. 1.