Train derailment in Mexico City suburb kills at least five

MEXICO CITY: A train derailed in a densely populated Mexico City suburb on Thursday morning, killing at least five people, authorities said.

The train, which was transporting grain, crashed in Ecatepec, a large municipality in the State of Mexico that forms part of the urban sprawl extending from the capital.

After the train ran off the tracks shortly before 6am, one of its cars careened into a residential area, killing five people, the Communications and Transportation Ministry said in a statement.

Authorities are removing debris and more victims will probably be found, the State of Mexico prosecutor's office said.

The train belonged to Kansas City Southern's Mexican unit, the ministry said.

In a statement, railroad and terminals operator Ferrovalle, which is part owned by Kansas City Southern de Mexico, lamented the accident, the causes of which were still unknown.

Ferrovalle said it and Kansas City Southern de Mexico would work with authorities to find out what happened and prevent it from occurring again.

The Mexican regulator for railway transport will investigate the accident, the ministry said.

“The government of Ecatepec sends its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and reiterates its support in this difficult moment,” Mayor Indalecio Rios wrote on Twitter. — Reuters

An employee at the National Museum checks pre-Columbian pieces, which had been taken out of the country illegaly to Venezuela and were now returned by the Venezuelan government, in San Jose, Costa Rica. — AFP photo