A railway worker died and another was hospitalized Saturday night after being struck by a freight train near Prague, prompting an examination into safety protocols. Teh incident occurred at the Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav station, halting rail traffic in the area as authorities assessed the scene and interviewed witnesses. This tragedy follows a similar, fatal incident in South Bohemia last October, raising renewed concerns about worker safety on Czech railways [[2]].
PRAGUE – One railway worker died and another was hospitalized Saturday evening after being struck by a freight train at a station in Brandýs nad Labem-Stará Boleslav, Czech authorities reported.
The incident occurred at 9:53 p.m. local time on the first track at the station. „The freight train struck two individuals, who were railway employees. One died at the scene, and the other was transported to a hospital. The train operator tested negative for alcohol,” Central Bohemian Police spokesman Pavel Truxa said.
Train Traffic Halted After Accident
Marek Hylebrant, a spokesman for the Central Bohemian Rescue Service, confirmed that two people were hit by the train. „We treated two injured individuals at the station in Brandýs nad Labem. Despite our efforts, one died, and the other was transported to the Royal Vinohrady University Hospital in Prague while conscious, with moderately severe injuries,” Hylebrant explained.
However, regional railway inspection official Jan Kučera stated that the collision involved three people. „We treated only two individuals,” the rescue service spokesman emphasized.
According to a report by Hospodářské noviny, the individuals involved were employees of an external company, and the train belonged to Czech railway operator ČD Cargo. The report also noted a similar incident occurred in Bělčice, South Bohemia, in October 2023, where two people were killed and two others injured after being struck by a train.
The accident highlights the ongoing risks associated with railway maintenance and operations, even in developed European nations. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine if safety protocols were followed and to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
