2 killed, about 60 injured in subway crash in central Rome

Two subway trains collided during morning rush hour Tuesday in a central Rome station, killing two people and injuring about 60 others, authorities said.

Photo: 2 killed, about 60 injured in subway crash in central Rome

Fire department spokesman Giorgio Alocci told Sky television that two people had died. Italian news reports said that the victims were a Nigerian woman in her 30s and the driver of one of the two trains.

Officials said one train was stopped in the station when it was hit from behind by another traveling at a high speed. Some passengers said the driver of the second train appeared to have run a red light.

About 60 people were injured, including 10 seriously, said another Rome fire department spokesman, Luca Cari. Television footage showed stunned and bloodied passengers being led out of the station, while onlookers watched from behind police lines.

Ambulances, firefighters and rescue teams rushed to the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II subway station, near Rome's main railway station. The crash occurred around 9 a.m. Rescue workers set up a field hospital nearby.

Firefighters had to free at least one more person trapped in the wreckage, Cari said. "For now, we don't know about any more people trapped, but we can't rule it out," Cari said.

Andrew Trovaioli, a 38-year-old passenger, said one of the trains appeared to have missed a stop light, reports AP.

"I saw the red light as the train moved into the station," Trovaioli said.

"I saw lots of blood, the impact was brutal," said Trovaioli, who suffered a slight injury to his elbow. He said he saw about 10 people lying on the ground, and three or four covered in rubble.

"There was panic for some 30 seconds. We were not told how to get out," he said.