Tram crash in Rotterdam injures nine people
Nine people were left injured after two trams crashed into each other in Rotterdam. The incident near the intersection of Schiekade and Heer Bokelweg happened at about 4:15 p.m. on Thursday.
"In total, there were 20 people in the two trams," police said. "Five of them suffered minor injuries and were examined by ambulance workers at the scene. Four people were taken to the hospital to treat their injuries."
The injuries included facial wounds caused by shattered glass, and broken bones, witnesses told regional broadcaster Rijnmond. A large number of first responders arrived on scene and began to triage the victims involved. Those hurt included passengers and employees of the regional transit service, RET, according to newswire ANP.
The two trams derailed as a result of the accident. Photos taken at the scene showed one tram with an extensive amount of damage, including at least six smashed glass window panes and doors, and metal paneling and doors sheared off the tram. The other tram's front end was smashed.
The incident alarm was elevated to a Grip 2 emergency soon after the accident was reported to authorities. The protocol is used when an incident effects an entire municipality and a surrounding region. It calls for all first responders to organize under a single incident commander, with the establishment of a regional command post.
The crash caused problems and rerouting on tram lines 4, 7 and 25. Vehicle traffic in the area was also rerouted as the investigation and cleanup continued. The salvage operation alone was expected to take several hours.
