Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

The derailed train hangs on the edge of the track after it crashed into the side of a residential building in Saltsjobaden outside Stockholm, Sweden. AP Photo/Jonas Ekströmer
Stockholm

Sweden: Stolen train leaves tracks before crashing into three-storey building

No one was injured in the incident.

A WOMAN STOLE an empty commuter train from a depot and drove it to a suburb of Stockholm where it derailed and slammed into an apartment building, officials have said.

The woman was seriously injured in the early morning crash and was flown to a Stockholm hospital, police spokesman Lars Bystrom said. No one else was injured.

Bystrom said the woman was arrested on suspicion of endangering the public.

Tomas Hedenius, a spokesman for train operator Arriva, said the woman, born in 1990, stole the four-car train at a depot outside Stockholm.

She then drove it about 1.6 kilometres to the end station on the railway line, where it jumped off the tracks, careered for about 25 metres and crashed into a three-story building.

“There were three families inside the apartment building, but no one was injured. At least not physically,” Hedenius said.

The motives of the woman, who worked for a company contracted to carry out cleaning for the train operator, were not immediately clear.

“We have only heard good things about her. We’re investigating how this could happen, and why she did what she did,” Hedenius said.

He said it’s unclear how she got the keys to the train, but added that driving it is not that complicated.

“Generally speaking that’s possible even if you’re not a train driver,” he said. “You can read about it on the Internet, or observe how others do it.”

Read: Egypt: 19 killed as train carrying troops derails >

Author
Associated Foreign Press
Your Voice
Readers Comments
46
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.