At least one person was killed and more than 100 others were injured after two trams collided on a bridge in the Siberian city of Kemerovo early Thursday, local officials said.
Security camera footage shared on social media showed passengers being tossed onto a busy roadway from one of the careening trams as the driver apparently lost control of the railed vehicle.
Other videos showed the aftermath of that tram’s head-on collision with a different tram. Emergency responders could be seen working at the scene.
“Unfortunately, one victim of the crash has passed away despite the doctors’ efforts,” Kemerovo Mayor Dmitry Anisimov said in a video message.
The state-run Interfax news agency, citing anonymous emergency sources, reported that 102 people were injured as a result of the crash. The figure was later confirmed by acting Kemerovo region Governor Ilya Seredyuk.
Both Seredyuk and Mayor Anisimov said the accident highlighted the need to modernize the city’s aging tram infrastructure, with some cars being in commission for around 40 years — when Soviet leader Yuri Andropov was still in power.
Russia’s Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, opened a criminal case into safety violations following Thursday’s crash.
“For some unknown reason, the tram did not slow down on a difficult section that goes downhill,” Kemerovo’s electric transportation company KETK told Interfax earlier in the day.
“Two versions of what happened are currently being looked at: human error and technical malfunction,” it added.
… we have a small favor to ask. As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a “foreign agent” by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It’s quick to set up, and you can be confident that you’re making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.
Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.
×
Remind me next month
Thank you! Your reminder is set.