Two Metro workers killed when wagon brakes fail

10 April 2006

MADRID — Two Metro workers were killed and another other colleagues were injured when two carriages collided in Madrid. 

The accident happened in the early hours of the morning at the Puerta del Angel station in the suburbs of the capital.

The victims were a 51-year-old man and his 57-year-old colleague, who both worked maintaining electric cables on the Metro through the night.

The accident happened when the brakes failed on a driverless wagon transporting beams and it careered along the line from the Arguelles station for two kilometres, finally hitting a second wagon, which was carrying four workers at the Puerta del Angel station.

The accident happened at 3am so no passengers were involved.

Emergency workers could not do anything to help the two men, who had both worked on the Metro for over 20 years.

Two other workers suffered minor injuries. One had to have psychological counselling, while another suffered injuries to his thorax.

There were delays of up to four hours on Line 6 throughout the morning.

A judicial investigation has been opened into the tragedy.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news