Cargo train derails in Holguín

A cargo train traveling from Holguín to Santiago de Cuba derailed this Tuesday, January 30, near the town of Cueto, causing significant material damage and loss of merchandise transported by the convoy.

"And unfortunate railway accident It took place this Tuesday afternoon in Cueto. At kilometer 751 of Alto Cedro, Cueto municipality (on the central railway line), extra freight train no. 1545 that traveled the Holguín-Santiago de Cuba route,” reported in Facebook the profile 'Realities from Holguín', linked to the Cuban Ministry of the Interior (MININT).

According to the publication, of the nine cars that the locomotive was transporting, two “went off the line loaded with toilet soap and raw materials.” Images shared in the post showed part of this cargo spread out on the railway track.

In addition to these two freight cars, the accident caused five cement silos to leave the track. “The latter are not spilled, according to residents of the Paraná neighborhood,” indicated the official profile.

“Until now, the territorial authorities remain at the scene of the accident. The possible causes are studied by experts from different branches. No loss of human life is reported, although there is material loss. “At first glance you can see the damage and almost 150 meters of road affected,” the report added.

The poor condition of Cuba's railways, added to the age of the locomotives, the lack of maintenance and shortage of spare parts, poor signage, darkness, as well as the absence of protection measures, affect the safety of this means of transport and its interaction with other vehicles on roads.

Train accidents in Cuba occur with certain frequency, such as the one that occurred at the end of December when a freight train derailed at night in Havana and the cars were stranded in the street, interrupting traffic.

This event occurred at the Calzada de Luyanó railway crossing, in the Diez de Octubre municipality, according to a witness who shared a photo on her Facebook profile. "Several freight cars are stranded on the side of the road," he said.

A month before, at the beginning of November, two people were killed by the Havana-Holguín train, in two different incidents that occurred in Perico, Matanzas, and Jatibonico, Sancti Spíritus, as reported by witnesses of the tragic events.

Preliminary reports on social networks, not officially confirmed, reported the first accident, which occurred on Tuesday night in Perico, when the driver of a car tried to pass the crossing while the train was approaching, but did not have time to cross.

In mid-July, The crash of a train against a truck left one dead and three injured in an accident that occurred in the Boyeros municipality, according to the Cuban Railway Union.

The official note stated that the accident occurred at 10:40 am (local time) at kilometer 13,300 of the South line - an area known as Mazorra - in the Boyeros municipality, when a Hino truck (with license plate B032081) intervened in the route of train No. 139, motor car No. 2213, intended for the transportation of passengers from Havana to San Antonio de los Baños.

Both the deceased citizen and the other three who were injured were workers from an Agricultural Production cooperative (CPA) who were traveling aboard the truck. The injured were immediately transferred to the National Hospital.

The official information stated that according to an inspection carried out by members of a commission created for this purpose, it was determined that the cause of the accident was that the truck driver, identified as Isidro Caridad Reyes Dominguez, did not stop driving before crossing the level crossing.