Experts tasked with examining one of France’s worst train accidents found “a state of disrepair never seen before” on the rail network, French media reported on Sunday.
Michel Dubernard and Pierre Henquenet, appointed by a court to find the cause of the Bretigny-sur-Orge derailment in July last year that left seven people dead, ruled out a malicious act in their report, according to Le Figaro.
However, they found more than 200 problems relating to the part of the track where the crash occurred and that the damage took place “over several months.”
Photo: AFP
The experts concluded that “most of these problems were known to [rail operator] SNCF” and were not repaired adequately.
State-owned rail operator SNCF and track management company RFF quickly rejected the alleged findings on Sunday.
In a joint statement, the companies said they “categorically contest” that the rail network was in a state of disrepair and urged “the greatest caution” in interpreting extracts of the press report.
“The French rail network is the object of maintenance at a very high level and constant monitoring,” the two companies said.
The SNCF has blamed the accident — in which an intercity train derailed at the station about 25km south of Paris — on a loose connecting bar at a rail switchpoint.
A judicial inquiry after the crash investigated whether involuntary homicide charges should be filed.
The experts’ conclusions were made public just before the first anniversary of the disaster. A memorial service for those killed is scheduled for Saturday in Bretigny.
French Junior Minister for Transport and the Maritime Economy Frederic Cuvillier yesterday said that the nation’s rail network had become “extremely rundown,” but safety problems that led to the accident were being addressed.
Cuvillier said that authorities had launched a modernization drive and checked the entire network for faulty infrastructure.
Asked about the copmanies’ liability, he said both would “have to answer ... to a procedure that has been initiated and to an investigation that is ongoing.”
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