Train collides with car in Saldus, one victim in critical condition
A passenger train collided with a car at a railway crossing in Saldus Municipality early Monday, injuring two women. No train passengers were hurt.
Shortly before 6:30 a.m. on Monday, a collision occurred at a railway crossing in Pļavnieki, Saldus parish, Saldus Municipality, between a Liepāja–Rīga passenger train and a Volkswagen car. State Police representative Rūta Strautniece-Apaļā confirmed the incident to the LETA news agency.
Two people in the car were injured: its driver, born in 1982, and a passenger, born in 2007. Emergency medical services confirmed both women sustained polytrauma and were taken to hospital. One was hospitalized in satisfactory condition, while the other's condition was assessed as critical.
Train passengers unharmed
Sigita Paula, a representative of Pasažieru vilciens (operating under the Vivi brand), said none of the train's passengers were injured in the crash. Thirty-one passengers were evacuated from the train after the collision.
According to preliminary information from the rail operator, the train driver spotted the car on the crossing, immediately applied emergency braking and sounded the horn, but was unable to avoid the collision.
To get passengers to their destination, an additional train was dispatched from Saldus railway station at around 9 a.m. Paula said the train itself sustained no significant damage and repairs would be handled by the company's own staff.
State Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash. Pasažieru vilciens reminded the public that trains cannot stop instantly, so drivers must always obey traffic signals and safety rules when crossing railway tracks, as careless behavior near a train can pose serious danger.
