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![Freight Train Derails near Southern Village, Destroying 100m of Railway Track]()
![Freight Train Derails near Southern Village, Destroying 100m of Railway Track]()
Firefighters work on a derailed freight train near Pyasachevo, Haskovo Region, Southern Bulgaria. August 15, 2025 (BTA Photo/Nikolay Grudev)
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![Село Пясъчево - влак - пожар - Гроздан Караджов]()
![Село Пясъчево - цистерни - изтегляне]()
![Село Пясъчево - цистерни - изтегляне]()
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![Село Пясъчево - цистерни - изтегляне]()
![Село Пясъчево - цистерни - изтегляне]()
![Село Пясъчево - цистерни - изтегляне]()
site.btaFreight Train Derails near Southern Village, Destroying 100m of Railway Track
Eleven diesel tank cars from a privately operated freight train of 34 cars and two locomotives derailed near the village of Pyasachevo, in the southern Haskovo Region, early on Friday morning. No casualties were reported. Some of the cars caught fire in the accident, but the flames were later put out. Between 80 and 100 metres of railway track was destroyed.
The causes of the derailment are yet to be established. No other vehicles or people were involved. Pretrial proceedings were instituted over a suspected “crime against transport”.
The train's two drivers felt a strong jolt moments before the accident. Both were reported as “very frightened” and “severely shaken”. One of them was taken to hospital due to a suspected sharp rise in blood pressure. Shortly after the incident, the drivers reported a ruptured air conduit on one of the two locomotives.
Local residents, mostly old people, were greatly alarmed by the explosions, which drove them out of their homes. According to authorities, the incident occurred very close to the village and created a real danger for residents, though evacuation was not necessary.
Slightly elevated levels of benzene concentration in the air were reported after measurements in the area of the train accident. The higher levels were due to the burning of diesel fuel. Each of the 11 derailed tank cars was carrying between 60 and 80 tonnes of diesel. After the investigation specifies the affected area, the soil will be examined for possible pollution.
The response from the fire safety service, the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ), the National Railway Infrastructure Company (NRIC), the Mini Maritsa Iztok state-owned coal mining company, the carrier, the Regional Governor and the local authorities was very swift and adequate, Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov said from the scene.
Karadjov ruled out excessive speed in the accident zone, where the limit is 60 km/h.
The restoration of damaged track will begin on Saturday. It will take at least 48 hours to reopen it to traffic.
/KT, PP/
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