The driver mistook the entrance to the platform for a street. The dragged car caught fire.
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A car collided with a train at Lind ob Velden train station (Villach-Land district) on Thursday. The 79-year-old driver mistakenly mistook the entrance to the platform for a one-way street that led to a railway overpass, the police reported. She drove onto the platform and the front axle and the front went over it, causing the car to protrude into the track area. There was a collision there and no one was injured.
The incident happened around 11:45 am. The woman left the car in time and tried to alert the driver of the approaching train to the danger by waving. When the 79-year-old realized that he could no longer stop in time, she went to safety in the station building. Despite emergency braking being initiated, the train collided with the vehicle. “The car was dragged for 300 to 400 meters,” said police spokesman Werner Pucher. The car also caught fire.
The train was a fast Railjet that was only supposed to pass through the small station, the ÖBB said. Due to the force of the collision, the car was pushed under the engine chassis and became wedged there, causing the fire. After the emergency coordinator released the track system, the fire department managed to quickly extinguish the fire and prevent the flames from spreading to the train.
The train was evacuated; according to the latest information, 86 people were on board. A replacement rail service was set up. Long-distance traffic had to be rerouted and the route between Velden and Föderlach was closed while the wreck was being recovered. The volunteer fire departments of Lind ob Velden, Rosegg, Velden and Wernberg were deployed with a total of 34 emergency services and seven vehicles. An alcohol test on the 79-year-old was negative. (APA)
