ALBAWABA- At least two rail workers were killed and nine others injured on Thursday when a freight train collided head-on with a test train near Santiago, Chile. The rare fatal crash occurred in San Bernardo, a district just south of the capital.
Police are investigating the cause of the collision, which left the test car fully on top of the freight train. Authorities have detained the test train driver and a railway operator for interrogation on charges of reckless manslaughter.
Photos and videos from the scene showed one carriage jackknifed above the mangled cargo train, with two dozen emergency vehicles responding and helicopters overhead. Train service in Santiago was suspended following the crash.
The freight train, carrying 1,346 tons of copper, had several people on board. The test train had 10 workers conducting a speed test.
Security camera footage showed both trains traveling at high speed before the collision. The reason the test train was not alerted to the freight train's approach remains unclear.
Transportation Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz emphasized the need to identify the causes and take appropriate measures. The two deceased were crew members on the freight train.
Among the injured were four Chinese nationals operating the test train, with six people remaining hospitalized, including one in intensive care.
Recent heavy rains in Chile, causing floods and displacing thousands, did not appear to contribute to the collision. Train crashes have become rare in Chile, with the government significantly improving safety awareness after a deadly 2001 collision.
The country has not experienced a fatal train crash since then, despite several derailments and crashes injuring dozens over the past two decades.
