Two trains have collided in Duisburg-Meiderich, Germany, according to a local transport company. At least 20 people were injured, two of them seriously, local media report.

The incident occurred on Tuesday in a suburb of the western German city of Duisburg. Two light trains collided near the Auf dem Damm station, a local transport company has confirmed in a Facebook post. The trains collided in a tunnel under the Ruhr river, according to a transit official cited by Reuters.

Read more

The company has stressed the trains did not collide head-on-head, dismissing earlier media reports on the incident. It did not provide any details on the number of casualties. Local media, however, reported that at least 20 people were injured, two of them seriously.

One of the victims sustained a head injury, RP-Online reported. The majority of those affected suffered only minor injuries, however, a source with local emergency services told the news outlet.

Initial photos from the scene suggest that one train hit another from the rear, but the exact cause of the incident remains unknown. Some 80 rescuers and 30 vehicles were deployed to the scene, Focus Online reported, citing an emergency services spokesperson.

The victims have reportedly been attended to by paramedics on the street just outside the train station. A helicopter of the emergency services was also seen at the site. The station remains closed after the incident.

The incident led to temporary closure of the train line, buses were dispatched to ferry passengers and keep the traffic running.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!