El Virilla train accident

When railway accident of Virilla Canyon derailed on March 14, 1926 a crowded train on a bridge over the Río Virilla in Costa Rica. 248 people died.

Starting position

The train was an excursion train with six cars, was traveling on this Sunday of Alajuela and Heredia Cartago. The excursion train was a charity event to organize money for a retirement home. Most travelers were farmers and laborers. They intended to Cartago to visit the current to be miraculous Black Madonna. The offer proved so popular that the train was completely overcrowded, more than 1,000 tickets were sold.

Course of the accident

Around 8 clock 20 of the train reached the bridge over the Virilla Canyon, before there was a curve. The heavy weight of the crowded train and an insufficiently fixed rail which gave way to the centrifugal force, meant that the last car derailed and two cars pulled out of the track. One of the cars crashed down the bank, more than 60 meters into the river. 248 people died, 93 were injured.

Follow

The Costa Rican government ordered a three-day national mourning.