On Thursday, a university train in Santa Clara experienced a derailment, though fortunately, there were no injuries or significant damage to the railway infrastructure. The provincial radio station CMHW La Reina Radial del Centro reported on its Facebook page that while the incident did not result in serious harm, it did necessitate a temporary halt to the service.
The station referenced statements from Luis García Pérez, the deputy director of the Railway in Villa Clara, who confirmed the deployment of cranes and specialized equipment to realign the train car without causing further structural damage. García noted that the first run of the university train on Friday could not be guaranteed, directly impacting students who rely on this mode of transport to reach the Central University "Marta Abreu" of Las Villas.
In response, Haris Hernández, the provincial director of transportation, announced plans to bolster bus services to the university to meet demand during the rail service interruption.
On a related note, an earlier derailment occurred on Tuesday, May 27, at 9:45 p.m., involving Train Extra #16 on the Holguín-Havana route. This incident took place at the 522.6-kilometer mark of the Central Line, near the commercial access point El Cárnico in Camagüey. The derailment led to a generator van overturning and two passenger cars leaving the tracks, resulting in 18 injuries.
Emergency protocols were activated immediately, and the injured were transported to the Manuel Ascunce Domenech University Hospital. Recovery efforts in the affected area continued the following day. The Ministry of Transportation confirmed that five track crews and rescue teams were deployed at 5 a.m. after the completion of the police investigation.
Two days post-incident, it was reported that 17 of the 18 injured had been discharged from the hospital. Only one patient, suffering from a fractured kneecap, remained hospitalized and would be privately transported based on family decisions.
FAQs on Recent Train Derailments in Cuba
What caused the Santa Clara university train to derail?
The cause of the Santa Clara university train derailment has not been specified, but authorities are working on realigning the train car and assessing any potential structural impacts.
How are students being accommodated after the train service interruption?
To accommodate students affected by the train service disruption, the provincial transportation director announced an increase in bus services to the university.
Were there any injuries in the recent train derailment in Santa Clara?
No injuries were reported in the Santa Clara university train derailment.
How did the authorities respond to the earlier derailment on the Holguín-Havana route?
Authorities quickly activated emergency protocols and transported the injured to a hospital. Recovery operations began promptly with the deployment of track crews and rescue teams.