A malicious act could be at the origin of the derailment on Friday evening of a TER near Rouen, which left 44 injured, including a young woman who was initially evacuated “in absolute emergency”. However, his days are not in danger, indicates the public prosecutor of Rouen, Sébastien Gallois, at midday this Saturday.
Philippe Tabarot, the Minister of Transport, specified in a message on “Among the lightly injured, 26 were treated yesterday in four health establishments in Rouen. 21 were able to return to their homes during the night and five are still being cared for,” added the government member.
The prosecutor confirms for his part that “the main hypothesis is that of the presence – on one of the rails of the track – of a piece of rail which could be the cause of this derailment”, adding that “the causes of this presence are unknown, and will have to be identified through the investigation.”
The derailment took place between the Tourville and Elbeuf-Saint-Aubin stations, in the town of Cléon (Seine-Maritime), located south of Rouen, on Friday around 7:45 p.m. The convoy of two trains carried 186 people. Significant emergency resources were mobilized, with 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 vehicles. The most seriously injured 18-year-old passenger was “evacuated in absolute emergency” by helicopter to the Rouen University Hospital.
43 other people were treated “in relative urgency”. They were all taken care of and “their release from hospital has taken place, or is imminent”, specifies the prosecution. At the same time, the victim support association AVEDE ACJE was requested by the prosecution and will contact each victim from Monday. “Screenings” for alcohol and narcotics on the train driver turned out to be “all negative”, the magistrate said. This Saturday, the technical police are continuing their investigations on site. The “black box” of the train was notably seized and will be analyzed. “Several hearings are planned. A legal expert is required,” adds Sébastien Gallois.
Passengers present testified to the violence of the accident. “All of a sudden there came a few shocks, then after three seconds, it became stronger and stronger,” one of the passengers, Louis, aged 24, testified to ICI Normandie. “I could no longer hold my seat (...) The windows partially exploded, the stones from the track entered the carriage,” he said. “It was really shocking, I’m still shaking.” As soon as the accident was announced, the prefect of Seine-Maritime triggered the Orsec numerous victims plan (NOVI) and went to the site.
The accident caused “major disruptions” to rail traffic between Rouen and Caen and between Caen and Le Havre, in both directions, according to SNCF. “Between Rouen and Elbeuf, TER circulation is interrupted in both directions, in particular to allow the investigations to proceed smoothly,” Philippe Tabarot said at midday. On the other hand, traffic, particularly on the Paris-Rouen and Rouen-Amiens lines, has been restored, a spokesperson for SNCF Réseau said this Saturday morning. On the Rouen-Caen line itself, where ten round trips per day and six on weekends are normally provided, a replacement coach service has been set up, said SNCF Voyageurs.
For the “lifting” of the train, the SNCF Réseau teams on site must wait for the prosecutor to “surrender the area”, at a time which is at this stage undetermined, to be able to inspect and then organize the operations, according to the spokesperson. The national railway company expressed “its full solidarity towards the injured travelers and their loved ones, as well as towards all the SNCF staff mobilized on site and engaged to assist passengers in this ordeal”. The SNCF stressed that it would provide “all its support in complete transparency” to the investigation.
