Train crash in the Netherlands: at least one dead and dozens injured in horror derailment

AT LEAST one person was killed and around 30 injured after a passenger train derailed and burst into flames.

Passengers screamed in fear as the train pulled off the tracks near the village of Voorschhoten in the Netherlands in the early hours of the morning.

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Up to 50 people on board were trapped in overturned wagons in the dark after the train crashed into construction machinery.

It was en route from Leiden to The Hague when it collided with the apparatus at around 3.25am local time this morning.

The train had reportedly struck a construction crane that was on or near the tracks.

A fire is said to have broken out in the rear carriages of the double-decker train after it derailed around 55 kilometers south of the capital Amsterdam.

Terrifying images from the scene show plumes of black smoke billowing from the wreck after it bursts into flames.

The front wagon appears to have left the tracks and plowed into a field while the second landed on its side, ANP reported.

Emergency services, including a helicopter involved in the accident, rushed to the scene to take the seriously injured passengers to the hospital.

Hollands Midden’s emergency services said at least 30 injured passengers were being treated at the scene.

“The seriously injured are being taken to hospital while 11 are with local residents nearby,” they added.

“Specialists are working to secure the train.”

The death toll and the severity of the injuries sustained were not immediately clear.

A witness described the terrifying moment of people scrambling in the dark as the train crashed.

The unidentified traveler told local news station Omroep West: “We heard a loud bang and suddenly the lights went out.

“We couldn’t get off the train at first because there was no electricity.”

Some images of the wreckage show a number of broken windows in the carriages, although it’s unclear whether this was caused by the crash or attempts to escape.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte paid tribute to the victims of the horror train in a tweet.

He wrote: “A terrible train crash near Voorschoten where unfortunately one person died and many people were injured.

“My thoughts are with the relatives and with all the victims. I wish them all the best.”

Dutch Railways said trains between Leiden and parts of The Hague have been canceled due to the collision.

John Voppen, CEO of rail network company Pro Rail, called the incident “a black day for Dutch railways” and said the cause of the crash was being investigated.

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