A SERIOUS rail collision involving two local trains north of the Danish capital of Copenhagen has left 17 people injured, five of them critically, after the trains struck each other head-on in a wooded area during Thursday morning rush hour.
Reuters, on Thursday, reported that emergency services described “chaotic” scenes inside the carriages following the impact, with both trains sustaining severe front-end damage and debris scattered across the site.
“The two trains collided head-on, causing large damage to them and sending broken glass flying everywhere,” said fire and rescue service leader Christoffer Buhl Martekilde.
A police spokesperson said it was too early to determine the cause of the crash, adding that a full and extensive investigation had been launched.
“There are injuries among the passengers. Everyone is out of the trains, so no one is trapped… Large resources have been dispatched to the scene,” a police spokesperson said earlier.
Authorities said the collision occurred shortly before 6.30am local time (0430 GMT) on a railway line connecting the towns of Hillerød and Kagerup, located north of Copenhagen.
A total of 38 passengers are believed to have been on board both trains at the time of the accident.
Images from the scene showed two yellow and grey trains with heavily damaged fronts positioned directly opposite each other in a forested area, underscoring the severity of the impact.
Emergency responders confirmed that all passengers had been evacuated from the wreckage and that those injured had been transported from the scene by ambulance and helicopter for further treatment.
Police said the investigation into the cause of the collision is ongoing, with authorities expected to examine signalling systems, track conditions and operational procedures as part of their inquiries. – April 23, 2026