Ufa train disaster

The train accident took place at Ufa near the Soviet city of Ufa on 4 June 1989. In the vicinity of two trains on the Trans-Siberian Railway a violent gas explosion happened. At least 575 passengers of the train were killed and 600 were injured.

Events

A running near the railway LPG pipeline sprang a leak. The pipeline personnel noticed a pressure drop on the line, but did not suspect a leak, but a compressor failure. Therefore, it turned to a further compressor, and thus increased the pressure of the leak. The leaked gas collecting in a depression and exploded when passing the two trains. The pressure wave from the explosion is said to have brought the windows to burst still in Ascha 13 km away. Passengers of the trains were mostly children who were on their way to or from the holidays.

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