Freight Train Derails in Viareggio Italy

Gas Explosion Kills 14, Injures 50 Near Pisa

Shortly before midnight on Monday July 29th a freight train carrying 14 containers of liquefied natural gas derailed in the seaside town of Viareggio Italy followed by a deafening explosion that killed 16 and injured 50, 36 of who are considered in grave danger due to severe burns. There are still 30 people unaccounted for, but the scene is not secure enough to handle an exploratory expedition into the still-smoldering ashes.

Emergency workers said flames engulfed a radius of 300 metres, including five two-storey apartment buildings located along the railway and several cars parked near the station. Areas near the station were evacuated in case of further explosions.

Officials say a wagon filled with liquefied natural gas exploded after the failure of one of the wheels on the first carriage caused the carriage to derail, leading to the gas leak and eventual explosion.

The town was thrown into a state of chaos but two additional camps were set up to attend to the 1000 evacuated and injured within 40 minutes of the tragedy.

In Viareggio , a town of 50,000 northeast of Pisa, the sound of sirens and helicopters continued into the early morning hours.

MORE THAN JUST CASUALTIES

While the cause of the derailment has been determined to be the faulty wheels on the first carriage, townspeople whisper that the larger problem was the train's lack of maintenance. Private companies may have been trying to save a few dollars. However, the carriage in question was registered in Poland and the maintenance papers have proved to be in order.

Three inquests into this incident have been opened, one from TrenItalia, one from the Ministry of Infrastructure, and one from the Judicial Magistrate. This has not stopped the fingerpointing between criticizers of the government, Guglielmo Epifani, the General Secretary of the Italian Union, and Industrialist Emma Margegaglia who said, "These things don't happen in a civilized country."

For the people of Viareggio, this day has indeed been one of sadness, regret, and a deep sense of loss. Some are not sure if the town will ever recover from this tragedy while others calculate the cost of human life against the cost of routine maintenance.