Driver killed in Luxembourg train crash

The driver of a passenger train was killed in Luxembourg on Tuesday after he ran a red light and collided with a freight train, officials said.

The driver of the goods train was seriously hurt and a conductor on board the passenger train suffered minor injuries, they said.

There were no travellers on board the passenger train at the time of the accident between Bettembourg in Luxembourg and Zoufftgen in northeastern France around 0800 GMT.

“Initial details from the traffic management system show that the the passenger train travelling from Thionville ran a red light,” said the Luxembourg train company CFL.

“The cause of the accident must still be confirmed by the inquiry which is now underway,” CFL said.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel tweeted his condolences to the driver, who was from the tiny European duchy.

“My deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the deceased CFL worker. Thanks and respect to the rescue workers at the scene,” Bettel said.

The French ticket conductor, who was at the back of the train, is in a state of shock, officials said, adding that she had been hospitalised.

The violence of the impact damaged several passenger carriages and derailed a number of freight carriages.

Around 100 rescue workers are at the scene along with psychological support workers, police said.

Passenger services between Luxembourg and Thionville have been suspended for 48 hours with bus services replacing them for now, officials said.

In 2006 six people were killed and 23 injured when a passenger train collided with a freight train at Zoufftgen, near the site of Tuesday’s accident.