A high-speed TGV train derailed early Tuesday morning in Bully-les-Mines, northern France, after colliding with a loaded semi-trailer at a level crossing. Local authorities say the train driver was killed in the crash.
Emergency services and technical teams were quickly dispatched to the scene. Officials say the truck was reportedly carrying military equipment. The truck driver has been detained by police.
The TGV was travelling from Dunkirk to Paris when the collision occurred at about 7:00 a.m. (0500 GMT). Local emergency crews reported two passengers suffered serious injuries and 11 others sustained minor injuries.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said he would travel to the site and be joined by SNCF national rail boss Jean Castex. SNCF officials cautioned it was too early to determine the precise cause of the accident. Rail service on the line was suspended and expected to remain halted for much of the day while investigations and recovery work continue.
Authorities noted this was the second fatal level-crossing collision in recent days. On March 25, a truck driver was killed in a collision with a train at a level crossing in Saint-Raphaël in southeastern France.
TGV services have maintained a strong safety record since the trains were introduced in 1981. Officials said the train involved in Tuesday’s crash was operating at its normal speed at the time of the collision. Investigators and rail technicians are working at the scene to establish the full sequence of events.