4 Killed, Dozens Injured In Trains Crash In Czech Republic

Four people died and dozens were injured when an express train crashed with a freight train in the Czech city of Pardubice late Wednesday, 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 before 2100 GMT near the main train station in Pardubice, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) 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.

The timetable shows the train leaving Prague at 1952 GMT was due to leave Pardubice at 2047 GMT.

It was expected in Chop at 0835 GMT on Thursday after crossing 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.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)