A train crash in the Czech Republic late Wednesday killed at least four people and injured more than 20 people, officials said.
According to the National Fire and Rescue Service, a passenger train bound for Kosice, Slovakia, collided with a freight train with about 380 passengers on board. The crash occurred in Pardubice, a city about 62 miles east of Prague and where the passenger train started.
Freight trains carry calcium carbide, a corrosive flammable compound used in steelmaking and more. According to the Fire and Rescue Service, there was no leak as a result of the incident.
Photos from the scene appeared to show some vehicles derailed. Earlier Thursday, authorities released video showing emergency workers helping passengers and their luggage off the train. Uninjured passengers were taken to Pardubice station and children were given stuffed toys.
Czech Transport Minister Martin Kupka and the Interior Minister rushed to the scene of the accident overnight and expressed condolences on social media.
Train timetables on the Pardubice line, one of the country’s main rail corridors, were expected to be disrupted on Thursday as authorities investigated the scene. Investigators have not offered any theories as to the cause of the crash.
RegioJet, a private rail and bus company, was the operator of the wrecked passenger train, according to authorities.
