Train from Plovdiv Caught on Fire on the Move

Another incident with a train happened yesterday with in Bulgaria. The Plovdiv-Panagyurishte train caught on fire while on the move. The incident occurred on the early Sunday afternoon in the area of ​​Tsar Asen village, passengers reported to Darik radio. In panic, people jumped from the composition and started to walk on the rails. There is no evidence of injuries.

However, travelers in the unfortunate train are angry because of the poor organization of alternative transport. A bus was sent, but it was overflowing. For the next, people waited in the heat for more than an hour.

Some walked on the track for more than 3 km. The elderly, however, could not go that distance and stayed waiting. Other passengers say that this train has stopped several times because of overheating and are unhappy about why no safety measures have been taken so far for both citizens and staff on this line.

Curiously, this line should be serviced by the latest BDZ series - "Siemens Deziro". Regular courses on the line have been restored since 2006. Last autumn, however, the state carrier quietly replaced part of the German machines with the old 40-year diesel locomotives of the series delivered in Bulgaria between 1969 and 1980. Later the company's press center explained, that the new carriages are being repaired, and as long as it is like that, it is either necessary to return to service of old locomotives or to use buses.

The BDZ has not yet released an official announcement about the incident.