The history of Rail dates back to the early 19th century when George Stephenson, an English engineer, developed the world’s first steam-powered locomotive named “Locomotion No. 1” in 1814. The 19th century witnessed the rapid expansion of railways worldwide and spread all over the world. In 1825, The Stockton and Darlington Railway in England became the world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway (1830) was the first railway to rely exclusively on steam power and operated a scheduled passenger service. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, electric and diesel locomotives started replacing steam locomotives. In the latter half of the 20th century, high-speed rail systems Japan’s Shinkansen (1964) and France’s TGV (1981) emerged making trains travel faster.
But while speed makes it convenient to cover long distances in the shortest possible time, rail accidents result in damage to property and injuries. Rail accidents occur due to a variety of reasons including human error, equipment failure, track defects, adverse weather conditions, or a combination of these factors.
Here are some of the deadliest railway accidents in world history:
Queen of The Sea train crash, Sri Lanka (2004)
On December 26, 2004, an Indian Ocean tsunami was the cause behind what is known as the “Queen of the Sea” train crash place near the coastal village of Peraliya in southern Sri Lanka.
The tsunami was triggered by a massive undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The tsunami waves spread across the Indian Ocean, impacting several countries, including Sri Lanka.
The passenger train known as the Queen of the Sea or “Samudra Devi” in Sinhala en route from Colombo to the southern city of Galle was travelling along the coastal tracks when it was struck by the powerful tsunami waves. The force of the waves caused the train to derail and be swept away, leading to a significant loss of life.
Over 1,700 people lost their lives in this tragic incident. One of the deadliest train disasters in history, the train accident serves as a poignant reminder of the immense destructive power of tsunamis and their impact on railway tracks.
Mikawashima Train Collision Tokyo, Japan, (1947)
The mishap involving six trains at Mikawashima Station in Tokyo, Japan on April 25, 1947, happens to be one of the most tragic train accidents in history. One of the deadliest train accidents in terms of the number of trains involved, it left 184 people dead and 400 injured. The primary cause was a combination of human error, miscommunication, and confusion in post-World War II era Japan.
The rail network was congested and experiencing a high volume of traffic. This was compounded by a series of mistakes and miscommunication by the railway staff. A goods train was allowed to stop on the tracks due to a mechanical problem but this information was not conveyed to the passenger trains behind which collided with each other and the stationary freight train. This led to a massive fire that caused significant damage to the trains and the surrounding area.
Quintinshill Rail Disaster (1915)
On May 22, 1915, in Gretna Green, Scotland, a collision and subsequent fire involving five trains resulted in the deaths of around 227 people. It remains the worst rail disaster in British history.
The incident dates back to World War I when a troop train carrying soldiers from the Royal Scots regiment collided with a stationary passenger train at Quintinshill Junction. The impact caused a devastating chain reaction, in which a goods train and two other passenger trains also got involved in the collision.
This led to a massive fire which became uncontrollable as one of the trains was carrying a highly flammable cargo of explosives and gas cylinders. The fire rapidly engulfed the wreckage and caused significant loss of life.
The exact number of casualties in the Quintinshill Rail Disaster is difficult to determine due to the chaotic circumstances and poor record-keeping at the time. However, it is estimated that around 227 people including both soldiers and civilians lost their lives and many others sustained severe injuries.
The Quintinshill Rail Disaster highlighted the importance of proper signalling, communication, and handling of dangerous goods during railway operations.
Odisha train accident, Balasore, India (2023)
As many as 275 people were killed and over 1,175 injured in an accident on June 2, 2023, involving three trains. The accident happened when the Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, headed towards Chennai, derailed and collided with a goods train on the adjacent track. The rear carriage of the Coromandel Express then veer off onto the third track where it rammed into the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, coming from the opposite direction on the third track.
A preliminary investigation by a team of railway officials has revealed that the Coromandel Express (12841) was going at full speed as it was not supposed to stop at the Bahanaga Bazaar station. It reportedly took the wrong track instead of the main line and crashed into a stationary goods train. The impact caused 21 coaches to derail and three of them jumped onto an adjacent track, where Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express (12864) was travelling at the same time. Two rearmost coaches of the Yeshwantpur-Howrah Express also derailed due to the collision.
Balvano Train Disaster (1944)
On March 2, 1944, a freight train carrying German soldiers from Salerno to Potenza stalled in a tunnel near the small town of Balvano, in Italy during World War II. The train consisted of several unventilated, overcrowded cattle wagons, which were commonly used to transport passengers during wartime. These wagons had stove heaters that burned coal, providing heat to the passengers during the journey.
As the train entered the Armi tunnel near Balvano, the locomotive stalled due to a lack of oxygen caused by the train’s exhaust. The crew unsuccessfully tried to restart the engine but failed. Without proper ventilation, the coal stoves continued to burn, emitting large amounts of carbon monoxide gas.
Unfortunately, the passengers and crew failed to detect the danger as the smoke and fumes dispersed slowly. Some individuals in the last few cars managed to survive by escaping before the poisonous gases reached their location.
Most of the passengers were caught unaware as carbon monoxide is odourless and colourless. They began to lose consciousness or died in their sleep. Some passengers managed to escape from the wagons, but most of them were overcome by the toxic gas.
When the train finally exited the tunnel, it was discovered that 520 people had lost their lives due to a lack of ventilation. Only 10 people survived the disaster.
The Balvano train disaster remains one of the most unusual rail accidents in history.
Bihar Train Disaster (1981)
One of the deadliest railway accidents in the world, the Bihar train disaster in India on June 6, 1981, resulted in the deaths of over 500 people. It was one of the deadliest train accidents in the history of India.
The disaster occurred when, the Saharsa-Patna Express a passenger train carrying a large number of pilgrims returning from a religious festival, derailed near the village of Mansi in Bihar. At the time of the accident, the train was overcrowded, with more than 800 passengers.
The primary cause of the disaster was a combination of heavy rains and flash floods, which weakened the tracks. As the train approached the Mansi bridge a section of the tracks gave way due to the force of the floodwaters, causing several coaches to derail and plunge into the river below.
The accident resulted in a high number of casualties. The exact death toll remains disputed, but it is estimated that over 500 people lost their lives in the incident, while many others were injured. The remote location and difficult access to the accident site hampered rescue efforts, making it challenging to provide immediate assistance to the survivors.
Awash Rail Disaster (1985)
On January 6, 1985, a catastrophic train accident near the town of Awash in Ethiopia– one of the deadliest rail accidents in African history resulted in the death of around 428 people. The incident took place when an overcrowded passenger train travelling from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to Djibouti, derailed and plunged into a deep ravine. The train consisted of multiple carriages and was carrying a large number of passengers, many of whom were standing or sitting on the train’s roofs due to overcrowding.
The exact cause of the derailment is disputed, but it is believed to be a combination of factors, including excessive speed, poor maintenance of the tracks, and the weight of the overloaded train. The train was reported to be travelling at high speed when it encountered a sharp curve, leading to the derailment.
The derailment resulted in a significant loss of life. Estimates vary, but it is believed that over 400 people were killed in the accident, with hundreds more injured. The remote location and difficult terrain made rescue and recovery efforts challenging.
Gare de Lyon Train Crash (1988)
On October 27, 1988, during the evening rush hour, a commuter train travelling from Melun to Paris, collided with a stationary train at the Gare de Lyon station in Paris, France. The commuter train failed to stop and crashed into the rear of the stationary train, which was waiting at the platform.
The impact of the collision caused a massive fire to break out, trapping passengers in the wreckage. The fire quickly spread throughout the train cars, resulting in a high number of casualties. Approximately 56 people lost their lives in the accident, and many others were injured.
The cause of the crash was determined to be a combination of factors. The driver of the commuter train failed to apply the brakes in time to stop at the platform, possibly due to a mechanical or human error. Additionally, there were concerns about inadequate safety measures, such as the absence of fire-resistant materials in the train cars and insufficient emergency exits.
The Gare de Lyon train accident remains a tragic event in French railway history, emphasizing the importance of safety protocols and measures to prevent accidents and ensure the well-being of passengers.
Ufa Train Disaster (1989)
On June 4, 1989, in what is considered one of the deadliest train accidents in history, a natural gas explosion caused a fire on a train passing through a tunnel, near the city of Ufa in the Soviet Union (present-day Russia).
The incident took place when two passenger trains — No. 15 Moscow to Chelyabinsk passenger train and the No. 4 Chelyabinsk to Adler express train collided head-on in the early morning hours near the village of Asha, approximately 50 kilometres southeast of Ufa.
The exact cause of the collision was a combination of factors, as the dispatcher reportedly allowed both trains to proceed on the same track, leading to the collision.
The impact of the collision resulted in a massive fire that spread quickly leading to the tragic death of many survivors trapped inside the burning train cars.
The high casualty count, around 575 people were killed in the accident, and several hundred others injured was primarily due to the severity of the collision, ensuing fire, and difficulty in accessing the remote accident site.
It remains one of the most tragic train accidents in history and serves as a reminder of the importance of robust safety measures and diligent oversight in railway operations
Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailment (France, 1917)
A troop train derailed in the French Alps, causing a massive avalanche that buried the train. The death toll was estimated to be around 700 people.
In what is known as the Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne train disaster during World War I a train travelling through the French Alps was hit by an avalanche on December 12, 1917.
The train was on its way to the Italian front to reinforce the troops stationed there. But heavy snowfall and a severe winter storm triggered an avalanche which struck the train, causing a derailment and burying several carriages under the snow. Around 543 people, including soldiers and civilian workers, died in the incident.
The harsh weather conditions and the difficult terrain added to the problems faced by the rescue teams and were the reason why many lives were lost in the disaster.
The Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne train disaster remains one of the deadliest railway accidents in history. It serves as a tragic reminder of the risks and challenges associated with operating trains in mountainous regions, especially during severe weather conditions.
Firozabad Rail Disaster (1995)
On August 20, 1995, a tragic rail accident between the Purushottam Express, and the Kalindi Express in Firozabad, a city in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India claimed the lives of around 358 people, making it one of the deadliest railway accidents worldwide.
One of the tragic events in the history of Indian railways, the collision occurred when the Purushottam Express (Puri to New Delhi), which was running late, overshot a signal and collided with the stationary Kalindi Express (Kanpur to Delhi) at Firozabad railway station. The impact of the collision caused several train cars to derail and resulted in a massive fire.
The fire spread rapidly due to the presence of inflammable materials, such as kerosene and cooking gas cylinders, carried by passengers. The flames engulfed the train cars, making rescue operations challenging and leading to a significant loss of life.
Approximately 358 people were reported to have lost their lives in the Firozabad rail disaster, making it one of the deadliest railway accidents worldwide. Many others sustained injuries of varying degrees.
The disaster exposed the need for improved safety protocols, train signalling systems, and emergency response capabilities to prevent similar accidents in the future.
Gaisal Train Disaster (1999)
On August 2, 1999, the town of Gaisal, located in the state of Assam, India resulted in the deaths of approximately 290 people.
The incident occurred when the Brahmaputra Mail, travelling from Guwahati to Delhi, collided with the Avadh Assam Express travelling from Dibrugarh to Lalgarh. The collision happened at Gaisal railway station, where the two trains were scheduled to cross each other on separate tracks.
Both trains collided head-on with considerable force because of communication errors and failure in the signalling system. The impact caused multiple train cars to derail and significant loss of life. Around 300 people lost their lives and many others were injured in the accident.
Rescue and recovery efforts were challenging due to the remote location and difficult terrain. However, emergency personnel and locals worked tirelessly to assist the survivors and recover the victims from the wreckage.
Eschede Train Disaster (1998)
The Eschede Train Disaster — a tragic railway accident on June 3, 1998, in northern Germany is considered one of the deadliest high-speed train accidents in history. The accident happened when an InterCity Express (ICE) train, operated by the German national railway company Deutsche Bahn, derailed and crashed into a bridge. The train was travelling at a speed of approximately 200 kilometres per hour when the accident occurred.
The cause of the disaster was attributed to a single fatigue crack in one of the train’s wheels which caused the derailment of the train.
The high speed of the train travelling from Munich to Hamburg at the time of the accident resulted in catastrophic consequences. The impact of the derailment caused the bridge to collapse, and several of the train’s carriages were severely damaged. The force of the crash and subsequent wreckage led to a significant loss of life and many injuries. A total of 101 people were killed, including the train driver and more than 80 others were injured.
A memorial was erected near the site of the accident to honour the victims. The Eschede Train Disaster serves as a reminder of the importance of safety in transportation systems and the need for ongoing maintenance and inspection to prevent catastrophic accidents.
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Ciurea rail disaster, Romania (1917)
On October 20, 2017, the brake failure of an InterRegio passenger train carrying about 1,000 passengers and travelling from Bucharest to Lași in Romania led to over 600 deaths. The train had been switched onto a loop to prevent a collision with another train at Ciurea station. The high-speed train descending a steep bank near the station got derailed. This led to a devastating fire.
The exact cause of the accident was excessive speed. The train was travelling at a significantly higher speed than the designated limit for that section of track. As a result, the train was unable to negotiate a curve and derailed.
Following the disaster, measures were taken to improve railway safety in Romania. These included increased monitoring of train speeds, enhanced training for train drivers, and improvements to the railway infrastructure.
Guadalajara train accident, Mexico
In January 1915, the Guadalajara train accident due to brake failure while descending a steep slope, resulted in the death of 600 people in Mexico.
Because of the brake failure, the train travelling from Colima to Guadalajara derailed from its track and plunged into a canyon. Many people were thrown off the train navigating the curve at high-speed.
The train had about 20 carriages.
