Tunisia Train Crash Kills At Least 17; Death Toll Likely To Rise

TunisiaTrainCrash_June16 — Tunisians surround the carriages of a train after it derailed following a collision with a lorry killing at least 17 people near the town of El Fahes, some 60 kilometers south of the Tunisian capital, Tunis, on June 16, 2015. The interior ministry said the train was heading into the capital from the town of Gaafour, 120 kilometres (80 miles) to the southwest, in the morning rush hour. Getty Images/AFP/Fethi Belaid

At least 17 people were killed and 70 others were injured when a train and a semi-trailer truck collided in Tunisia early on Tuesday. Most of those killed in the accident, which took place outside the town of Fahs -- approximately 60 miles west of the capital city of Tunis -- were passengers in the train, according to media reports.

Several ambulances and fire trucks have been dispatched to provide first aid to the injured and evacuate them from the accident site. Tunisian Transport Minister Mahmoud Ben Romdhane told Mosaique FM radio that the death toll is likely to rise.

Authorities reportedly said that preliminary investigation indicated that the train had collided with the truck after the latter jumped a red light. The train driver was among those killed, while the truck driver survived, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

“There are people still trapped under the carriage, which overturned,” a witness, whose name was not revealed, reportedly said. Another witness blamed the lack of a barrier at the crossing for the accident, AFP reported.

“There have been accidents here before,” he reportedly said. “We must put up a barrier quickly.”

Tunisia