2 killed, 40 injured in tram crash in Milan

International

SIRENS pierced the air in central Milan after a packed tram left its tracks and ploughed into a building, leaving two people dead and up to 40 others injured in a dramatic late-afternoon crash.

The accident occurred shortly after 16:00 local time (15:00 GMT) on the number 9 line along Viale Vittorio Veneto.

Authorities said one of the victims, a 60-year-old man, is believed to have been a pedestrian struck as the tram came off the rails. The second person who died was among the passengers, who account for most of those injured.

Emergency services rushed to the scene amid reports that some people were trapped inside the damaged carriage. Numerous ambulances were deployed, and civil protection teams set up a temporary tent nearby to assist the wounded.

Passengers and nearby workers described a sudden jolt after what several said sounded like a loud noise from beneath the tram. Witnesses reported that the carriage appeared to veer off the tracks, gain speed and crash into the side of a building. Some passengers said they were thrown to the floor by the impact, while others recalled a powerful bang that shook nearby offices and shops.

According to Italian media, the tram struck a traffic light before smashing into the window of a restaurant. A delivery rider waiting at the intersection and a pedestrian on the pavement narrowly avoided being hit.

The cause of the derailment has not been confirmed. Local reports said investigators are examining whether the tram may have taken a sharp bend at excessive speed as it turned off Viale Vittorio Veneto.

Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, visited the crash site and described the incident as a “tragedy”, saying a full investigation would follow. He said the driver was “very experienced” and had been on duty for about an hour and was not working overtime.

“The thing that is a little strange, you see, is that there is a stop here that was skipped, and so that adds another element to what happened,” Sala told Reuters, as reported

by the BBC.

He added that authorities were also considering whether the driver may have been suddenly taken ill.

Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, expressed her “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims.

The city’s public transport operator, Azienda Trasporti Milanesi (ATM) said it was “deeply shaken” by the crash and extended its thoughts to those affected.

Local media reported that the three-car tram involved was a recently introduced bidirectional model, equipped with driver’s cabs at either end and placed into service only weeks ago.

Investigations into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.(MyTVCebu)