A subway line supporting structure collapsed, wounded and killed in Mexico City Around 10:30 PM yesterday (local time, 0:30 this Tuesday Brasilia time).
At least 23 people died in the accident. The information was confirmed by Claudia Sheinbaum, Head of Government, who is equivalent to the post of mayor.
Before that, at a press conference, I mentioned that among the victims were minors. At least 65 people have been referred to hospitals, seven of them in critical condition.
The accident occurred when the train traveling between Tesonco and Olivos stations, on Line 12 of the metro, crossed the elevated track located in the Tlahawak region, in the southeastern region of the Mexican capital. The structure was 5 meters high.
The security camera showed the collapse of the chassis due to a series of cars. At least two vehicles were suspended precariously from the damaged hilltops. In the initial rescue effort, teams of doctors and firefighters were trying to reach the cars. The army also participated.
Teams work to rescue the survivors. Investigators from the Public Prosecution Office went to the scene to help identify the bodies and start the investigation work that should determine the causes of the tragedy.
Speaking to reporters at the scene, Claudia Sheinbaum said it appears the crossbar has retreated, but the cause is under investigation. She said rescue was suspended because the structure is too fragile. A crane has been used to stabilize train cars so rescue workers can resume their search for survivors.
With the fall, the hull collides with at least one car. The mayor said that someone got out of the car, which was crushed by the wreckage of the bridge.
In the video below, a passenger shows the movement of the train right after the accident
“I saw you shivering”
The police, who use sniffer dogs, called on the curious to leave the area and avoid accidents due to falling debris.
An anonymous witness told Televisa, “Suddenly, I saw the structure shake. Less than a minute later the subway fell and a lot of dust started rising.”
“When the dust calmed down we ran to see if we could help. We didn’t hear screaming, I don’t know if they were in shock (…) Some people managed to get in and take out two people on top. The rest were piled up.”
The area has been isolated by the Military Police from the National Guard to facilitate the removal of the vehicles.
Jose Martinez, a worker using the metro line in the direction of distraction, said passionately that he survived the accident because he was unable to arrive in time to leave after leaving work.
“I saved myself for 15 minutes,” he said.
An overpass of a Mexican subway collapsed and died
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Rescuers search for victims after a Mexico City subway bridge
Lewis Curtis / Reuters
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Rescue teams work on a collapsed overpass in Mexico City; At least 23 people died
Alfredo Estrella / Agence France-Presse
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With autumn, the structure of the Mexico City subway has reached at least one car
Pedro Pardo / AFP
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The accident happened in Mexico City when the train ran over an elevated track
Pedro Pardo / AFP
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The structure of the subway that collapsed in Mexico City was 5 meters high
Instagram CSDRONES via Reuters
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Rescue workers work at the site where the Mexico City subway corridor collapsed
Lewis Curtis / Reuters
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A metro structure collapsed on cars in Mexico
Getty Images
Mexico City Subway
This is the second accident in a Mexican subway this year. In January, a fire in the surveillance facilities killed one person and poisoned 29 people.
In March 2020, two trains crashed inside a station, in an accident, killing one person and wounding 41.
The Mexico City Metro, opened in 1969, is one of the main modes of transportation in the capital and metropolitan area, home to nearly 20 million people.
Line 12, in which the accident occurred, was inaugurated on October 30, 2012 by the current chancellor of Mexico and the mayor of the capital at the time, Marcelo Ebrard.
Lamenting the “terrible tragedy”, Eberard offered to collaborate to define “responsibilities”.
“I am completely at the authorities’ disposal to contribute whatever is necessary,” he wrote on Twitter.
* With information from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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