Five people were killed and dozens suffered injuries when a passenger train running on the Moscow – Chisinau route collided with a freight train at a distance of 50 km from Moscow. Head of the Government’s press service Elena Moldoveanu has told IPN that a crisis cell was set up at the Ministry of Transport and Road Infrastructure to deal with this case.

According to the pictures taken at the scene, those killed are passengers. The authorities haven’t made public the names of the victims yet.

UPDATE: The Russian press reported that 45 people were hurt in the train accident. Five of them are in a critical condition. There are no children among the victims. Thirty ambulances and 250 rescuers of the Russian emergency services travelled to the spot.

According to preliminary information, the freight train derailed and hit the passenger train heading for Chisinau. The Russian authorities started a criminal case over violation of the traffic rules, but no person is yet investigated.

The accident occurred near Naro-Fominsk town at midday on May 20. The passenger train is continuing its road to Chisinau. The three damaged railcars were detached.