Train derailment sparks transport chaos in Italy

Destroyed train carriages at the site of a crash, where two trains collided, near the city of Larissa yesterday. AFP

Passengers across Italy were left stranded Thursday after a train derailment caused the cancellation of dozens of trains, including high-speed services between the north and south of the country.

Nobody was hurt when the carriage of the freight train came off the rails at around 2:20 am (00:20 GMT) between Florence and Bologna, for reasons that are still being investigated.

But it knocked down poles supporting electric cables used by the trains, suspending services across the network.

Italian rail firm Trenitalia announced at least 50 cancellations and delays of up to three hours, while other routes were diverted.

“The aim is to restore services by early afternoon,” the transport and infrastructure ministry said in a statement.

Around 160 passengers were stuck on a regional train for several hours until coaches arrived to take them to the station in Florence.

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