2023 Mexico City Metro train crash

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2023 Mexico City Metro train crash
Several workers stand in front of the tunnel entrance.
The crash occurred in the tunnel located between Potrero and La Raza metro stations (tunnel entrance pictured).
Map
Details
Date7 January 2023 (2023-01-07)
09:16 CDT (UTC-5)
LocationPotrero–La Raza interstation tunnel
Avenida de los Insurgentes, Gustavo A. Madero, Mexico City
Coordinates19°28′26″N 99°08′04.9″W / 19.47389°N 99.134694°W / 19.47389; -99.134694
CountryMexico
LineLine 3
OperatorSistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC)
Incident typeTrain collision
CauseUnder investigation
Statistics
Trains2
Crew2
Deaths1
Injured106

A train crash occurred on 7 January 2023 at 09:16 CDT (UTC−5)[1] when a Mexico City Metro train going northward towards Indios Verdes metro station crashed into another one that was parked inside the Potrero–La Raza interstation tunnel of Line 3, which runs below Avenida de los Insurgentes. The collision killed one person and injured 106 others, including the driver of the train that crashed.[2]

Background

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Metro system

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Main article: Mexico City Metro

The Sistema de Transporte Colectivo (STC) operates the Mexico City Metro,[3] one of the busiest in the world, carrying around 4.5 million passengers a day.[4][5] Commencing operations in 1969, it is the second-largest metro system in North America, after the New York City Subway system.[6]

Prior to the crash, the system had shown signs of deterioration, with general concerns being expressed about its maintenance,[7][8] which increased after Line 12's overpass collapse in southern Mexico City, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people in 2021.[9][10] Previous accidents included a train crash at Tacubaya station caused by a train driver who disregarded parking guidelines and caused the train's brakes to fail,[11] and a fire in the Metro's downtown headquarters where a police officer was killed, 30 people resulted hospitalized,[6][7] and the lengthy suspension of service of six subway lines, including Line 3.[12][13]

After conducting an investigation into the 2021 collapse of the bridge in Line 12, DNV, the company hired by the city government, came to the conclusion that the overpass collapsed because it was built without quality and safety standards and that buckling of the girders would have been discovered if maintenance checks had been performed. The report was labeled "biased" by Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who also questioned the firm's methodology for concluding that maintenance checks were not performed.[14]

Line 3

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Main article: Mexico City Metro Line 3

Line 3, also known as the Olive Line in reference to its color on the system map, runs from the northern borough of Gustavo A. Madero, to the south-central borough of Coyoacán. In 2022, it was the second most used line, servicing 117 million passengers.[15] The line was the third one to be built; Ingeniería de Sistemas de Transportes Metropolitano, Electrometro, and Cometro, the latter a subsidiary of Empresas ICA, constructed it.[16] It was inaugurated on 20 November 1970 by Gustavo Díaz Ordaz and ran from Tlatelolco to Hospital General stations;[17] subsequently, it began a northward expansion, first to La Raza station and eventually to Indios Verdes station, which became its terminus on 1 December 1979.[15]

Train crash

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On January 7, 2023, two trains collided between La Raza and Potrero on Metro Line 3.[18]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Llano, Fernando (7 January 2023). "Choque de trenes deja un muerto y 57 heridos en México" [Train crash leaves one dead and 57 injuries in Mexico]. Los Angeles Times (in Spanish). Associated Press. Archived from the original on 15 January 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  2. ^ Ferri, Pablo (8 January 2022). "El Gobierno de Ciudad de México eleva el número de heridos del accidente del metro a 106" [Mexico City government raises number of injured in subway accident to 106]. El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Mexico City Rapid Transit Metro, Mexico - Railway Technology". Railway Technology. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  4. ^ "Mexico City metro overpass collapse kills 23". BBC News. 4 May 2021. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Afluencia de estación por línea 2019" [Station traffic per line 2019] (in Spanish). Sistema de Transporte Colectivo Metro. 2020. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  6. ^ a b Sheridan, Mary Beth (4 May 2021). "Mexico City subway overpass collapses; at least 13 dead as metro cars topple". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  7. ^ a b Lopez, Oscar; Ives, Mike; Taylor, Derrick Bryson (4 May 2021). "Mexico City's metro has been plagued by problems". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  8. ^ Agren, David (4 May 2021). "Anger mounts as death toll from Mexico metro overpass collapse rises to 24". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  9. ^ Roldán, Mariluz (1 January 2023). "Metro CDMX: accidentes se duplican en la era Sheinbaum" [Metro CDMX: accidents double in the Sheinbaum era]. La Silla Rota (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  10. ^ "El Metro en la CDMX: acumula suspensiones de servicio y poco mantenimiento" [The Metro in the CDMX: accumulated service suspensions and little maintenance]. Expansión (in Spanish). 4 July 2022. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  11. ^ Navarro, Israel; Alzaga, Ignacio (1 April 2021). "Choque del Metro Tacubaya, por falla humana; enjuiciarán a dos" [Tacubaya station crash caused by human error; two to be prosecuted]. Milenio (in Spanish). Mexico City. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Reabren líneas 4, 5 y 6 del Metro, el servicio es lento" [Lines 4, 5 and 6 are reopened, service is slow]. Excélsior (in Spanish). 12 January 2021. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Ya hay fechas para reabrir las líneas 1, 2 y 3 del Metro" [There are already dates for reopening Metro Lines 1, 2 and 3]. Chilango (in Spanish). 17 January 2021. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  14. ^ Graham, Dave; Oré, Diego (10 May 2022). "Mexico City metro accident partly due to lack of maintenance, third audit finds". Reuters. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  15. ^ a b López Ibarra, Ixtlixochitl (7 January 2023). "La historia de la Línea 3" [The history of Line 3]. Radio Fórmula (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 12 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Línea 3, Ciudad de México" [Line 3, Mexico City] (in Spanish). iNGENET Infraestructura. 20 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  17. ^ "Está en un programa de inspección la Línea 3 del Metro, donde ocurrió el choque" [Metro Line 3, where the crash occurred, is under an inspection program]. Expansión (in Spanish). 7 January 2023. Archived from the original on 7 January 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Subway train collision in Mexico City kills 1, injures 57". Associated Press. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
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