Viareggio railway accident

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In the railway accident in Viareggio on June 29, 2009 , a freight train loaded with liquid butane derailed at the train station in Viareggio , Italy , the cargo of which partially exploded . 32 people died.

The burning train in Viareggio station

Starting position

Trenitalia's freight train No. 50325 was on the Pisa – Genoa railway from Trecate to Gricignano di Aversa . The train was from the locomotive E.655.175 drawn and consisted of 14 tank cars of GATX , the part in the Polish Railways (PKP) and in part Deutsche Bahn were set. The adjuster is responsible for the maintenance of the railway wagons .

the accident

Burned out tank wagons in Viareggio train station
Burned out vehicle next to the accident site

At 11:48 p.m., the first wagon of the train, one of the freight wagons used by Deutsche Bahn, derailed as it entered Viareggio station. The derailment point was on a straight piece of track without a switch . The cause was a crack in a wheel that had been overlooked during a previous overhaul. The car hit the edge of the platform and, like the following four cars, tipped to the left. The tank with liquid gas was ripped open. The two following cars also derailed without tipping over, the last seven cars remained on the track. The train came to a stop after 500 meters, 200 meters past the end of the platform. The liquefied gas leaked into the district adjacent to the station and ignited .

consequences

Building damage at the accident site

32 people died and 27 were injured. The fire caused severe damage to the railway infrastructure and buildings in the area. About 1,000 people were evacuated . Two houses collapsed. Large parts of Viareggio were damaged and 100 people were left homeless. The two engine drivers escaped with minor injuries.

Work-up

The European Railway Agency worked after the accident pan-European problems with axles of railway vehicles and released to a report.

On November 13, 2013, a trial of 33 defendants began in Lucca . The charges included causing a railroad accident and multiple negligent homicide . The verdict was announced on January 31, 2017. The court came to the conclusion that the crack in the wheel should have been found during the revision. Thereupon it sentenced 24 defendants, including six German employees of the freight wagon company GATX Rail Europe, to prison terms of between eight and nine years. The former manager of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana and the person responsible for maintaining the railway infrastructure were each given seven years' imprisonment, while the person responsible for logistics at the time received seven years and six months. GATX was also fined 480,000 euros. Eight defendants were acquitted. The prosecution had demanded much higher sentences. The convicts appealed against this first instance judgment . The first instance judgment was largely confirmed by the appellate body in 2019. However, it is still possible to appeal to the Supreme Court in Rome. In the case of extensive criminal trials in Italy, revision proceedings sometimes drag on for so long that prison sentences become statute-barred .

Web links

Commons : Viareggio railway accident  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ koll: After seven and a half years: first judgments on Viareggio . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International 4/2017, p. 190, reports on 32 defendants.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d European Railway Agency .
  2. ↑ Another: Ferrovie dello Stato: Grave incidente .
  3. ↑ koll: After seven and a half years: first judgments on Viareggio . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International 4/2017, p. 190.
  4. ^ NN: Italians killed .
  5. ^ European Railway Agency : Task Force on Maintenance .
  6. ↑ Final report on the activities of the Task Force Freight Wagon Maintenance (PDF). 2010.
  7. ^ ORF: Relatives demonstrate in court , accessed on November 13, 2013
  8. ↑ koll: After seven and a half years: first judgments on Viareggio . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International 4/2017, p. 190.
  9. ↑ koll: After seven and a half years: first judgments on Viareggio . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International 4/2017, p. 190.
  10. ↑ FAZ.net / Jörg Bremer : Six Germans sentenced after train accident in Viareggio .
  11. ^ Sda: Viareggio: Moretti condemned . In: Eisenbahn-Revue International 8–9 / 2019, p. 431.
  12. ↑ sda / mr: Long prison sentences after the Viareggio disaster. In: Eisenbahn-Revue International 2017, p. 135.

Coordinates: 43 ° 52 ′ 38 "  N , 10 ° 15 ′ 6.8"  E