2 trains collide in northeastern France; 10 killed

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Two trains collided Wednesday in northeastern France close to the border with Luxembourg, killing 10 people and injuring at least 10 others, authorities said. The crash at Zoufftgen, in France about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the city of Luxembourg, involved a passenger train and a freight train colliding head-on, said Philippe Mirville, a spokesman for French rail operator SNCF. The passenger train was traveling from Luxembourg to the French city of Nancy, he said. The train line it was traveling on was being repaired, so it switched onto a second track, hitting the oncoming freight train, he said. Nine of those killed were aboard the train, said authorities for the Lorraine region of northeastern France. French Transport Minister Dominique Perben was rushing to the scene. The crash occurred just before midday. More than 100 rescue workers were at or heading to the crash site to set up a mobile hospital and treat victims, a local fire chief, Samuel Gesret, told France-2 television.