Mexican Freight Train Derailment ! Over 30 Containers Thrown Off !
According to foreign media reports, on the morning of July 30, a serious freight train derailment occurred near the Jalisco-Michoacán border. Dozens of freight containers were scattered around the railway tracks.
This is the second train derailment in the region this year. On January 31, a similar accident occurred, resulting in three injuries and a train fire.
Reportedly, at least two people were injured in this latest derailment, and at least 30 freight containers were scattered on the tracks and in the nearby fields.
The railway operator Ferromex stated that the accident occurred at 4:23 AM on “Line I,” near the eastern shore of Lake Chapala, approximately 106 kilometers south of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco. (Ferromex operates over 10,000 kilometers of railway in Mexico, including six international ports of entry to the United States.)
Ferromex did not disclose the cause of the accident, but reports speculate that the train might have been traveling at a high speed, as evidenced by the containers being thrown off, overturned, and stacked on top of each other.
Other sources indicate that authorities are inspecting the area to rule out the possibility of sabotage or intentional damage.
The train was originally scheduled to head to the Pantaco freight train station in Azcapotzalco, northwest of Mexico City.
It is understood that due to the remote location of the accident, the operator did not get cranes and heavy equipment to the site until Tuesday afternoon. A full assessment of the situation is needed, so it is still unclear when operations can resume.
All intermodal operations on “Line I” departing from Guadalajara have been suspended until the tracks are repaired and inspected.
This may result in a significant backlog of containers at the port, causing some delays.
