Death Toll In Polish Train Collision Rises To 15

Published March 4, 2012 7:27AM (EST)

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish officials say the death toll in a head-on collision between two trains late Saturday has risen to 15, with 54 people being treated for their injuries in hospitals.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the accident the "most tragic train catastrophe" in Poland in recent years after visiting the site in the early hours of Sunday.

The trains were traveling toward each other on the same track when they collided head-on in the small town of Szczekociny in southern Poland.

One train was traveling from the eastern city of Przemysl to Warsaw, while the other — on the wrong track — was heading south from Warsaw to Krakow.

Prosecutors have opened an investigation to determine how the Krakow train ended up on the wrong track. The prime minister said it was too soon to say what had caused the accident.


By Salon Staff

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