Monday, January 04, 2010

Runaway train crashes into hotel at Helsinki station

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:31:12 GMT



Emergency workers inspect the scene of the crash at Helsinki station, where a runaway train hit a hotel inside Finland's main railway early on Monday, January 4, 2010. AP photo


A passenger train with only three staff members aboard has reportedly crashed into a hotel by Helsinki's main railway station, slightly injuring one person.

Finnish transport officials said that a mechanical failure in the brakes was the source of the accident, which took place at 0712 GMT on Monday, causing four carriages weighing approximately 70 tons to crash into the Holiday Inn hotel.

The incident happened as the intercity train was being towed to Helsinki central train station.

An official from the Finnish Transport Agency told reporters that the three staff members aboard had alerted their colleagues at the station ahead of the crash, who helped clear passengers away from the incoming trains.

The hotel's conference room, which was empty at the time of the accident, has been severely damaged.

Officials fear that the building would collapse along with the nearby offices of Ernest & Young of the train is moved.

It was not immediately known why the brakes failed, or how the carriages dismantled from the train.

ZHD/MMN
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