Two Trains Collide in Zilina Region Village; Firefighters on Scene

       Krpelany, 5 June (TASR) - Firefighters from the towns of Martin and Dolny Kubin are responding to an incident at Krpelany (all Zilina region) railway station on Friday afternoon, the Operations Centre of the Fire and Rescue Corps (HaZZ) in Zilina has reported, adding that the incident was caused by a collision between two trains.
        A total of 11 professional firefighters from fire stations in Martin and Dolny Kubin were deployed at the scene.
        Maria Pohankova Zahatlanova, spokesperson for the Zilina Regional Directorate of the Fire and Rescue Corps, told TASR that according to initial information from the scene of the accident, a passenger train struck a train engine.
        "There were about 100 passengers on board the train, and their condition is currently being assessed. Two minor injuries have been reported so far," said the spokesperson.
        Spokesperson for state-owned passenger carrier ZSSK Jan Bacek explained that a train engine hit Os 3924 passenger train at the station. "There were approximately 100 passengers on the train. Two passengers sustained minor injuries and were taken for medical examination. The ZSSK train did not derail," he reported. Passengers will be transported from the scene by the next available train. Units of the integrated rescue system and relevant railway authorities are on the scene. The causes and circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
        State-run rail-infrastructure operator ZSR stated on its website that a train operated by a private transport company collided with a ZSSK passenger train that was stopped at a station. "Neither train derailed," added ZSR. Train service was temporarily suspended due to the accident. According to ZSR, service on the section has now been restored.
        Deputy spokesperson for the Emergency Medical Services Operations Centre Martina Froehlich Cinovska told TASR that two emergency ambulances responded to the scene of the accident. "A teenager with head and cervical spine injuries and a 74-year-old man with back pain were transported to the hospital in Martin," stated Froehlich Cinovska.
        The Zilina region police reported on social media that the scene of the incident is currently being documented. "Breathalyser tests for alcohol in both train drivers, as well as preliminary tests for the presence of narcotic and psychotropic substances, yielded negative results," wrote the police, adding that the circumstances and exact cause of the incident are the subject of further investigation.