Mexico City, Mexico – At least 10 people were killed and more than 60 others injured on Monday when a double-deck passenger bus collided with a freight train in central Mexico, in one of the country’s deadliest road accidents in recent months.
The crash occurred on the Atlacomulco-Maravatío federal highway in the municipality of Atlacomulco, in the State of Mexico, some 115 kilometers (71 miles) northwest of Mexico City. Local authorities said the collision took place in an industrial zone along the busy route that links Atlacomulco with Maravatío, in neighboring Michoacán state.
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According to the State of Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office, the victims included seven women and three men. Officials said some of the injured were in critical condition and remained hospitalized, while others with less serious injuries were treated and released.
Images from the scene showed the top deck of the bus crushed, with its front section torn apart and its metal frame badly twisted. Emergency responders cordoned off the wreckage as paramedics, firefighters, and police worked to extract survivors and transport the injured to nearby hospitals.
The state’s civil protection agency said emergency teams were dispatched immediately after the crash, which was reported at around 8:30 a.m. local time. Authorities did not specify the exact time of the collision but confirmed that the highway was shut down in both directions to allow rescue and forensic operations.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City of Mexico, the railway operator, confirmed the accident in a statement and offered condolences to the families of the victims. The company said it was fully cooperating with investigators on site and urged drivers to obey stop signs and traffic signals at railroad crossings to prevent further tragedies.
Bus operator Herradura de Plata, which owns and operates the double-decker involved in the crash, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A video posted online appeared to show the bus edging forward onto the tracks despite other vehicles waiting, before being struck at high speed by the train. The impact pushed the bus several meters along the railway, shattering windows and ripping open its upper deck.
The Attorney General’s Office said an investigation has been launched to establish the cause of the accident and determine responsibility. Authorities are also searching for the bus driver, who reportedly fled the scene before emergency crews arrived.
The tragedy has drawn renewed attention to safety at railway crossings in Mexico, where fatal accidents involving buses and trains have occurred in the past. Transportation experts noted that while freight operators and authorities regularly urge drivers to stop at crossings, enforcement is often lax, and some bus companies have been accused of pressuring drivers to meet strict schedules.
Local media reported that forensic specialists were working through the day to identify victims and notify families, while government officials pledged support for those affected.
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