Train Collision in Buenos Aires Leaves 30 Injured, No Fatalities Reported

A passenger train collided with a maintenance locomotive in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires on Friday morning, resulting in at least 30 people being hospitalized, two of whom sustained serious injuries, according to emergency officials.

The accident occurred around 10:30 a.m. local time when the passenger train on the San Martín line, which runs between Pilar and the Retiro terminal in Buenos Aires, crashed into a stationary maintenance train on the Palermo viaduct near the intersection of Figueroa Alcorta and Dorrego avenues.

"There are no fatalities," said Jorge Macri, the mayor of Buenos Aires, in a statement to the press about an hour after the collision.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion followed by a fuel leak. Emergency services, including firefighters and police officers, rushed to the scene to evacuate passengers and provide medical assistance.

While one of the trains involved was carrying passengers, the other was transporting materials for railway maintenance work, officials said.

The SAME emergency service confirmed that firefighters had safely evacuated all passengers from the train, with at least 30 individuals requiring hospitalization due to injuries sustained in the incident.

"Trenes Argentinos informs that a train of the San Martin line collided with a locomotive and an empty wagon at 10:31 a.m., at kilometer 4.900 on the Palermo viaduct at the height of Alcorta Avenue," the railway operator stated. "At the moment, the company's staff is working to evacuate the people in the train, and the emergency services of the City of Buenos Aires are assisting the passengers. The service has been interrupted."

Mayor Macri commended the evacuation efforts, stating, "In 90 minutes, we managed to evacuate the injured. There are 30 seriously injured. The evacuation operation worked very well."

Why this matters: This train collision highlights the importance of maintaining rigorous safety standards and protocols in public transportation systems. Incidents like these not only cause injuries and disrupt services but also erode public confidence in the reliability and security of these vital networks.

Key Takeaways:

• A passenger train collided with a maintenance locomotive in Buenos Aires on Friday morning.
• At least 30 people were hospitalized, with two sustaining serious injuries.
• No fatalities were reported in the incident.
• Emergency services swiftly responded, evacuating passengers and providing medical assistance.
• The collision disrupted service on the San Martín line between Pilar and Retiro terminal.