Two people have been killed after a high-speed train derailed near the northern Italian city of Lodi, emergency services say.

Both of the dead are thought to be drivers. At least one person, a cleaner on the train, had significant but not life-threatening injuries.

The train was travelling from Milan to the southern city of Salerno.

All services on the Milan-Bologna high-speed route have been suspended and diverted via conventional lines.

The engine left the tracks some 40km (25 miles) from Milan at around 05:30 local time (04:30 GMT), the railway company said.

It apparently hit a freight wagon on a parallel track before running into a building and was separated from the rest of the train. Both it and the first carriage turned on their sides.

The causes of the accident are being investigated.

Ansa news agency said maintenance work was being carried out on the track where the accident happened.

There were 28 passengers on the train, Ansa said, a number of whom received minor injuries.

Lodi Prefect Marcello Cardona said the accident "could have been carnage" but there were relatively few passengers at the time, and no more fatalities were expected.

Fire services are at the scene.

Source: BBC

BDST: 1543 HRS, FEB 06, 2020

AH