PARIS (AP) — Two trams collided in Strasbourg in eastern France on Saturday, causing dozens of injuries, though none were critical, authorities said. The accident happened in the afternoon in a tunnel that leads to the station near the city center railway station.
An additional 100 people, although not injured, were assessed for shock or stress, said René Cellier, director of the Bas-Rhin Fire and Rescue Service. The emergency services deployed 130 firefighters, 50 rescue vehicles and established a wide safety perimeter.
“Around fifty people are in critical condition, with injuries such as scalp wounds, clavicle fractures and knee sprains. But there are no critical injuries. It could have been a lot worse,” Cellier said.
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The exact cause of the accident was not clear but the local media reported that one of the trams was returning at the time.
Mayor Jeanne Barseghian, who visited the scene, described the incident as a “brutal accident” and thanked emergency responders. “I am at the station with the injured and the rescuers. Thank you for moving,” she said on X. She urged the public not to interfere with rescue operations.
Images shared on social media showed two badly damaged tram cars, one of which had crashed in the tunnel.
Strasbourg, the first major French city to restore tram services in 1994, had not experienced a major tram disaster until now, according to French media. Authorities launched an investigation to find out what caused the accident.
Clean-up operations continued on Saturday night, and residents were advised to avoid the area around the train station.
