PARIS (AP) – Two trams collided in Strasbourg in eastern France on Saturday, injuring dozens of people but none of them were fatal, authorities said. The accident occurred in the afternoon in a tunnel leading to the station near the city's central station.
A further 100 people were uninjured but underwent shock and stress tests, said René Cellier, head of the Baran Fire and Rescue Department. Emergency services dispatched 130 firefighters and 50 rescue vehicles and established a wide safety perimeter.
“About 50 people are in a relatively critical condition with injuries such as scalp wounds, broken collarbones and sprained knees. But none of them are fatal. The situation could have been much worse,” Selier said. spoke.
The exact cause of the collision is unknown, but local media reported that one of the trams was backing up at the time.
Mayor Jeanne Barseghian, who visited the scene, described the incident as a “brutal crash” and thanked emergency workers. “I am at the station with the injured and rescuers. Thank you for the mobilization,” she said in X, calling on the public not to disrupt rescue efforts.
Images shared on social media showed two badly damaged trams, one of which had derailed in a tunnel.
According to French media, Strasbourg became the first major French city to resume tram service in 1994, and to date there have been no serious tram accidents. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collision.
Clean-up efforts continued Saturday night, and residents were advised to avoid the area around the station.
