On Thursday morning, a high-speed train derailment in Italy’s Lodi province resulted in the loss of two lives and injuries to 28 individuals.
The tragic incident occurred in the town of Casalpusterlengo, approximately 30 miles southeast of Milan.
Following the derailment, all services on the Milan-Bologna high-speed route have been suspended, and emergency teams, along with firefighters, are on-site assessing the damage.
The train’s engine left the tracks around 25 miles from Milan, striking a freight wagon on a parallel track before colliding with a building and becoming detached from the rest of the train. Both the engine and the first carriage turned on their sides.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella confirmed the deaths of the two train conductors, Giuseppe Cicciu and Mario Di Cuonzo, and expressed his condolences to their families, emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation to ensure the safety of transportation for citizens.
He stated, “Let light be quickly shed on this grave accident, in order to guarantee the right of citizens to transport safety.”
A survivor recounted the harrowing experience, sharing, “I thought I was dead. I closed my eyes and prayed. The train was going very fast… suddenly, I felt a violent blow. A really loud roar.”
The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.