Two local trains collided head-on on a railway line north of Copenhagen, injuring at least 17 people, four of whom are in critical condition, emergency services confirmed on Thursday morning.
The crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. Local time on the track linking the towns of Hillerod and Kagerup, approximately 40 kilometres north of the Danish capital, according to police statements. Public broadcaster DR released images showing two yellow and grey trains, both with front-end damage, facing each other in a wooded area.
“We see two local trains that have collided head-on,” a spokesperson for the rescue services told Reuters, adding that all passengers had been evacuated and no one remained trapped in the wreckage. “Large resources have been dispatched to the scene.”
Injured passengers were transported from the site by ambulance and helicopter, with the most serious cases flown to the National Hospital in Copenhagen, as confirmed by Gribskov municipality mayor Trine Egetved.
Egetved, who described the incident as “deeply upsetting and shocking,” noted that the line is regularly used by local residents, workers, and students. She said emergency crews were working tirelessly and that authorities were seeking a full understanding of how the collision occurred.
The rail line involved has not been equipped with an automated safety system, according to assessments referenced in the reports. One expert cited by the BBC suggested that a train driver may have passed a stop signal at a local station, resulting in the train entering the wrong track.
Denmark maintains a strong reputation for rail safety, but this incident echoes past failures. In 2019, a train crash left eight people dead and 16 injured. In August of the previous year, an express train collided with a farm truck at a level crossing, killing one person and injuring 27.
What caused the train collision?
According to expert analysis cited in the BBC report, one train driver may have overridden a stop signal when leaving a local station, leading to the train entering the wrong track and colliding head-on with another service.
Were any passengers trapped in the wreckage?
No, emergency services confirmed that all passengers had been evacuated from the trains and no one remained trapped following the collision.
Where were the most seriously injured taken?
Patients with critical injuries were flown by helicopter to the National Hospital in Copenhagen, as stated by Gribskov mayor Trine Egetved.
