site.btaFreight Railway Car Derails in South-Central Bulgaria

A freight railway wagon traveling between Devnya and Filipovo, derailed in the Konyovo-Kermen section in South-Central Bulgaria during the night between Wednesday and Thursday. Transport Minister Grozdan Karadjov has ordered an investigation, his Ministry's press centre said Thursday.

The Railway Administration Executive Agency has until June 12 to conduct a thorough inspection of the carrier's freight car maintenance and repair system, at the plant that repaired the car, as well as at the scene of the accident.

Earlier in the day, at around 1 am the morning, the third wagon of a freight train of a private carrier transporting sand derailed between Konyovo and Kermen. Serious damage was caused to the railway, including over 800 damaged sleepers, of which 410 were completely destroyed. Emergency teams from the National Railway Infrastructure Company worked on the route all night, and shortly before 9 am the wagon was removed from the railway.

At present, passengers on the section between Stara Zagora and Yambol are being transported by buses. Train traffic is expected to be allowed to resume by the end of the day with a speed limit until the railway line is fully restored, the statement said.