Freight wagons derail

Nine of the train’s 17 wagons derailed, but the engine stayed on the tracks, Miklos Mondi said. A hazardous material, pesticide, was identified in one of the wagons, but disaster protection officials localised a small volume that had seeped out by 5.00 pm, he added.

He said damage to the tracks and the overhead lines was “significant” and would cost “several hundred million forints” to repair. A crane is on the way to remove the derailed wagons, he added.

Repairs are expected to be completed on at least one of the tracks by early next week, until which time replacement buses will run between Torokszentmiklos and Mezotur, he said.

Experts are searching for the cause of the derailment, he added.

A deputy spokesman for the local disaster protection directorate told MTI that no measures had been required regarding local residents. Tamas Kisnemet said that five of the wagons on the train had been transporting hazardous materials and four of those had derailed. Material leaked from one of the wagons, he added.