site.btaUPDATED Two Die, Six Injured in Freight Train Collision Near Sofia

Two have died and six others have been injured in a freight train collision near Sofia, the head of the Sofia Police, Chief Commissioner Lyubomir Nikolov, told journalists here on Wednesday. 

Caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev has dismissed Deputy Transport Minister in charge of rail transport Bisser Minchev from the post over the accident.

One of the train drivers and an employee of Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) are the two who were killed in the accident, he said.

The trains were running on the same track, most probably due to a mistake in the organization of the traffic, said Nikolov. Asked who had directed the trains into the same track, he replied, "I assume that the responsible persons are from BDZ, I have no information at the moment." He also said one train was carrying ferrous metals and the other was carrying furniture.

The search for other casualties has been suspended, he said, explaining that the authorities had information that they should find eight people, who have been accounted for. 

A fire broke out in one of the locomotives, but it was extinguished, Nikolov said. There are no smouldering elements, the scene has been secured in a wide perimeter. 

BDZ told BTA that two freight trains collided in the section between the railway stations at Svetovrachene and Kremikovtsi near Sofia.

The injured 

Two of the injured have been taken to Sofia's Military Medical Academy, the hospital told BTA. They are to undergo medical examinations and tests. Two males, 43 and 44 years old, have been transported to Sofia's Pirogov Emergency University Hospital. Both are conscious and alert, the hospital said. 

The Sofia Emergency Medical Centre (SEMC) said that a 59-year-old male has been taken to the Tsaritsa Yoanna – ISUL Hospital in serious condition, and the other one, also a male (51), has been taken to Sofia's St. Anna Hospital in critical condition. 

Caretaker Health Minister Galya Kondeva has requested full information from SEMC's head, Dr. Georgi Gelev. Kondeva has been assured that the emergency medical teams are fully ready and one team has remained at the scene of the accident, the Health Ministry said.

It was reported earlier that two people were missing and five had been injured in the train wreck.

Crash and train details

According to the General Directorate of Fire Safety and Civil Protection, a diesel and an electric locomotive collided. The report of the accident was received at 4:01 pm.

The two freight trains which collided are owned by the State-owned BDZ Cargo Ltd. and the private carrier PIMK, the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC) told BTA. 

The NRIC said that the train of the private carrier was carrying container cargo, while the BDZ Cargo train was carrying scrap to Serbia. 

The NRIC also said that at this stage the cause of the accident is still being investigated. 

Investigation started

The perimeter of the crash site has been cordoned off and a survey has been launched, the Interior Ministry reported. 

Teams of the National Investigative Service started inspecting the scene of the accident where two freight trains collided, the Sofia City Prosecutor's Office, which is leading the investigation, told BTA.

Pre-trial proceedings have been opened in the case.

Resignations

Caretaker Minister of Transport and Communications Krasimira Stoyanova proposed to Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev to immediately dismiss Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications in charge of rail transport Bisser Minchev over the tragic train crash, Stoyanova's Ministry reported. The resignations of NRIC Director General Stoyan Stoyanov and BDZ Cargo Ltd Hristiyan Krastev have also been demanded, the Ministry said. 

The Government information service reported later in the day that Prime Minister Glavchev has dismissed Bisser Minchev from the post Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications in charge of rail transport.

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