Viareggio blast: Railway catastrophe in Tuscany

An explosion disturbed the citizens of Viareggio (province of Lucca, Tuscany) last night. It took away dozens of lives and wounded around fifty people. 36 victims are in hard or critical condition including children.

Altero Matteoli, the Minister of transport, stopped his visit to Venezuela and ordered to create a special investigation committee. The major, Luca Lunardini compared the results of the explosion with scenes of the Apocalypse. The tragedy occurred near Viareggio railway station. Freight train Trecate 50325 Gricignano was transporting liquefied gas in 14 tanks on the route from La Spezia to Pisa.

The gas leak in one of the tanks caused the explosion just when the train left the station. The blast was heavy enough to destroy two buildings near the station; some of the premises were damaged. The citizens of the houses were blocked under the ruins. The list of victims is growing. At present rescue teams are constantly trying to save more lives. The work is complicated by the huge smoke. At the same time the measures to secure undamaged tanks full of gas have been taken. Around two hundred victims were settled in the building of the city hall. More over people get all the necessary medical treatment in the special camps just built.