Two people have died after the Sydney to Melbourne XPT train derailed near Wallan in Victoria on Thursday night.
One of the dead is believed to be the driver.
Another passenger is being flown by air ambulance to Melbourne after five carriages derailed about 7.50pm.
Victoria Police tweeted that a number of other passengers had been injured.
Ambulance Victoria said in a statement that a large number of people were being assessed by paramedics but were not believed to be seriously injured.
V/Line confirmed the NSW Countrylink train had derailed about 500 metres north of Wallan station, near the Epping-Kilmore Road, about 45 kilometres north of Melbourne, on the North East line.
The XPT was believed to be carrying about 160 passengers.
We're on scene after a train derailed at Wallan tonight.
It's believed the train travelling from Sydney to Melbourne derailed near the Hume Freeway just before 8pm. Two people have died at the scene and a number of others are injured.More info will be provided when available. pic.twitter.com/D0nBVxXI96
— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) February 20, 2020
Emergency services were on the scene, and the rail lines between Melbourne and Sydney have been closed.
At least three helicopters, including an air ambulance chopper, were deployed to a scene that CFA described as “very chaotic at this stage”.
More pics … of our train @abcnews @adamparkersky pic.twitter.com/mtV6hTPAeK
— Dr Scott Rickard (@Rickard_Scott) February 20, 2020
The Age reports that the train was gaining speed after being stopped due to a signalling issue.
Passenger Rob Jennings said passengers were tossed around the carriage during the minute-long period from when the train began to derail to when it came to a halt.
“It just veered off, and all the carriages smashed into one another,” Mr Jennings told The Age.
“People were tossing around … there was some screaming – everyone was just grasping on, some in the brace position, preparing for the possibility of something worse.”
All passengers who were able to walk from the train have been taken to the Wallan McDonald’s and BP Truckstore area, which being used as a triage centre.
The day got worse. The train crashed. We're fine @TrishBolton3 We'll be there for breakfast 😊 Poor driver is injured though 😣 #Melbourne @abcnews #traincrash pic.twitter.com/k14q2cE53N
— Dr Scott Rickard (@Rickard_Scott) February 20, 2020
All V/Line Seymour and Shepparton V/Line services have been cancelled until further notice.
More to come
-with AAP
The post Two people dead after Sydney to Melbourne XPT train derails appeared first on The New Daily.
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