A TRAIN crash in north eastern Portugal on Friday (August 22) morning claimed the life of a 47-year old woman and left a total of 43 people injured.
A spokesman for the rescue teams at the scene of the accident, which happened at around 11am on the Mirandela railway line near Brunheda station, said that the injured passengers were taken to Mirandela hospital and other regional health centres.
Carlos Vaz, the hospital administrator’s, said that five people were treated there on Friday, two of them adults who were seriously injured, and three children who suffered light injuries.
A 42-year-old woman who was operated after suffering trauma to her chest left intensive care on Monday and was transferred to Coimbra hospital, according to a hospital spokesman.
Four helicopters from the emergency services and the Civil Protection authority were at the scene of the accident, as well as 88 fire fighters and 35 vehicles, and the main road between Chã and Carlão in Alijó county was closed to facilitate the access of emergency vehicles.
A spokesman for Carrazeda de Ansiães Câmara, where the accident occurred, told Lusa news agency that the train derailed, following an explosion, and fell to one side opposite the Tua River, which runs parallel to the track.
Mário Lino, Minister of Transport, Public Works and Communications arrived at the scene on the same day to announce the opening of an enquiry into the accident, which he said will be ready in September.
There have been a total of four accidents on the Tua train line in 18 months, which have resulted in four deaths.
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