A passenger died and several others were injured Wednesday after an intercity train collided with a truck at a railroad crossing in central Poland, causing part of the train to derail and overturn, authorities said.
The PKP Intercity train, named “Koziołek,” was traveling from Lublin to Szczecin when the crash occurred near the village of Sokolniki Suche in the Masovian region, officials said. About 120 people were aboard the train.
A female passenger later died from injuries sustained in the crash, said Karolina Jaworska, a spokesperson for the regional fire service. She was among four people reported to have suffered the most serious injuries.
The train’s driver and the truck driver were also seriously injured, according to emergency officials. Seven people remained in nearby hospitals following the accident, while officials earlier reported that about 20 people had been injured.
Initial findings by prosecutors indicate that the truck entered the crossing as the train was already passing through it. The truck is believed to have struck the first passenger carriage behind the locomotive, according to the report.
The truck driver reportedly told authorities that sunlight had blinded him before the collision. That account has not been independently verified, and the investigation remains underway.
Deputy Infrastructure Minister Piotr Malepszak said the train was traveling at about 117 kilometers per hour, or roughly 73 mph, and weighed about 400 metric tons.
PKP Intercity said the train consisted of an EP09 locomotive and six passenger cars. The impact derailed part of the train and caused some of the cars to overturn. A local fire official said all six passenger cars were at least partly off the tracks.
Emergency crews from the Przysucha and Radom areas, along with specialized medical and technical teams from across the Masovian region, were sent to the scene. Two air ambulances were also deployed.
Rescuers conducted medical triage at the site and transported injured passengers to hospitals. One injured man who went into cardiac arrest was resuscitated and taken to a hospital by ambulance, a fire service official said.
The crash occurred shortly after 11:25 a.m. on rail line No. 22, between Wolanów and Przysucha, according to Polish rail infrastructure operator PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe. The crossing was equipped with warning lights, the operator said.
Rail traffic on the route was suspended after the collision. Authorities arranged replacement bus service for affected passengers and said tickets would be honored on selected Łódź Commuter Rail and Polregio services.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
