ACCIDENT DE TREN ÎN GARA BALOTA

A serious railway accident occurred today, around noon, on the Bucharest - Timișoara railway line, in Mehedinți County. A train consisting of several wagons loaded with wood left the railway alone and collided with a locomotive that was maneuvering in the Balota station. Following the impact, six wagons derailed and three overturned, completely blocking rail traffic between Drobeta-Turnu-Severin and the Prunișor stop. The accident occurred right at the Balota station, in Mehedinți County. The train, which had just climbed the Balota hill, an area with a very steep slope, was maneuvering to detach the auxiliary locomotive, attached between the wagons. While these maneuvers were being performed, some of the wagons of the train started free on the railway line and collided with the locomotive that was pulling the rest of the train. Following the impact, six carriages derailed and three overturned. The train is private, coming from Curtici and traveling towards Sfântu Gheorghe. The accident completely blocked rail traffic on the respective highway, and passengers were transferred by buses, between the Drobeta-Turnu-Severin railway station and the Prunișor stop. The delay displeased those who had connections from other cities in the country, such as this gentleman who had to catch a bus to Germany. Traffic is still blocked on highway 900 and work is being carried out in the area to unload the wood from the carriages, then the carriages will be put back on the tracks and the infrastructure destroyed in the accident will be restored. CFR representatives have not set a time when traffic in the area will resume.