Balvano train disaster

In the Balvano train disaster of March 3, 1944, 426 people illegally riding on a steam-hauled feight train died of carbon monoxide poisoning when the train stalled on a steep gradient in the Armi tunnel. [http://www.trivia-library.com/a/railroad-disaster-on-the-balvano-limited-part-1.htm Railroad Disaster on the Balvano] The accident occurred in southern Italy, near Balvano (Basilicata).

The tunnel was steeply graded and the freight train grossly overloaded with illegal passengers. The train stalled with almost all the cars inside the tunnel. The passengers and crew were overcome by the smoke and fumes so slowly that they failed to notice the dangers. Many of few survivors were in the last few cars which were still in the open air. The main culprit was carbon monoxide gas produced as a by-product of combustion, and carbon monoxide poisoning is a well recognized danger when machines are used, or fires occur in enclosed environments. It combines with haemoglobin when inhaled, so the victim dies of anaemia or lack of oxygen. It is still the principal cause of death in mine disasters after a fire or explosion.

There was little publicity at the time owing to the war, but more details became available in the 1950s when relatives of the dead victims pursued a court case against the railway.

See also

* List of rail accidents

Further reading

*

* Peter Semmens, "Railway Disasters of the World", Patrick Stephens Ltd (1994).