Livraga
The Livraga train accident: what happened
On February 6th, 2020, a Frecciarossa 1000 train traveling from Milan to Salerno derailed near Livraga, on the Milan-Bologna high-speed railway. The train, carrying 33 people, reached a speed of approximately 290 km/h and crashed into maintenance vehicles parked on a storage track, completely derailing and ending up against a fence. The accident led to the deaths of two operators and the injury of 31 passengers.
Incident details
The train derailed near switch no. 5, which connects high-speed tracks to the yard tracks, used for maintenance vehicle storage. The first carriage separated from the rest of the train and completely derailed, crashing into maintenance vehicles and landing on its side. The rest of the train continued for a short distance off the tracks, blocking the other train units.
Hypotheses on the causes
Investigations determined that the direct cause of the accident was the incorrect positioning of switch no. 5, which directed oncoming trains towards the storage tracks instead of the main line tracks.
Conclusions
The Livraga train accident was a tragic event that caused the death of two individuals and injured many others. The direct cause of the accident was the incorrect positioning of switch no. 5. It is hoped that these investigations will uncover the causes of the accident to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the passengers and railway workers involved in this terrible accident.
