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BERLIN (AP) — A passenger train derailed on a local railway in Austria on Tuesday, leaving two carriages lying on their side and three people seriously injured. Authorities said the accident was caused by excessive speed.
A further 31 people sustained light injuries in the derailment near St. Poelten, west of Vienna, according to NOeVOG, an organization that oversees regional transport companies in Lower Austria province.
The accident happened around 7:15 a.m. Around 80 people were on board the train at the time, and part of the train remained on the tracks. Overheard wires were brought down in the accident.
The train belongs to the Mariazellerbahn, a local narrow-gauge railway, and was headed to St. Poelten.
NOeVOG said in a statement that the front carriages derailed because the train was traveling too fast, and the back of the train then ran into the derailed carriages.
It didn't specify the train's speed at the time of the accident, and said it is unclear so far whether it exceeded the speed limit because of a technical problem or human error.
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