A view of a derailed train carriage following a collision between a passenger train and a freight train in Pardubice, Czech Republic, June 5, 2024 in a picture obtained from social media.

Four people died and dozens were injured when an express train crashed with a freight train in the Czech city of Pardubice late Wednesday, June 5, an emergency services spokesperson said. “I can confirm that four people suffered injuries incompatible with life,” local emergency spokeswoman Alena Kisiala told broadcaster Czech TV, up from two dead announced earlier.

Czech TV reported that the accident had occurred near the main train station in Pardubice, about 100 kilometers east of the capital Prague. The train had been carrying more than 300 passengers, many of them foreigners, it added.

The train, operated by the private Regiojet company, was heading to the western Ukrainian town of Chop close to the border with Slovakia.

Czech TV footage showed one of the carriages had derailed and that passengers were being ushered into buses near the Pardubice main station. Local fire brigade spokeswoman Vendula Horakova told Czech TV the freight train was transporting calcium carbide.

Le Monde with AFP