(ANSA-AFP) - PRAGUE, 15 LUG - A train driver died and dozens
of passengers were injured when a passenger train collided with
a stationary freight train near Prague, a Czech minister and
rescuers said Wednesday. "Unfortunately... I have learnt there
is one dead," Transport Minister Karel Havlicek told the public
broadcaster Czech Television. Rescuers said the deceased man was
the driver of the passenger train, which was carrying more than
100 passengers. "He was found lifeless in his wrecked cabin,"
the regional rescue service wrote on its website. Havlicek told
Czech Radio later that the driver had most probably ignored a
red light. The accident occurred after 1930 GMT on Tuesday near
the town of Cesky Brod, about 30 kilometres (almost 20 miles)
east of Prague, on a busy railway connecting the capital with
the east of the country. Havlicek said two people had suffered
very serious injuries. Rescuers said another eight passengers
with very serious injuries and 25 with lighter injuries were
taken to hospital. A week ago, two people died and dozens were
injured when regional trains crashed in western Czech Republic.
Several other minor accidents have been reported on Czech
railways over the past week. (ANSA-AFP).
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