Villa Soldati level crossing tragedy


The Villa Soldati level crossing disaster occurred on the morning of June 11, 1962 in Villa Soldati, Buenos Aires, when, in dense fog, a train struck a municipal bus carrying schoolchildren.

Accident

The accident happened near President Illia Station where the Line Belgrano Southern crosses Lacarra Street at its junction with Veracruz. The crossing attendant, believing the crossing to be clear, opened the barriers to allow a truck to cross. The truck was followed by the bus. The bus driver did not hear the warning bell until it was too late. The impact of the train virtually destroyed the bus and pushed part of it 150 yards down the track.
Dozens of ambulances and a hundred doctors arrived at the scene. The injured were taken to four different hospitals where a shortage of blood and plasma resulted in an appeal for blood donors to which 1500 people responded.

Victims

As a result, 42 people were killed and 83 injured. Other than the bus driver and a female teacher, the dead were children less than 13-years-old. There were no casualties on the train.

Aftermath

A monument now marks the scene of the tragedy.