Passengers describe panic after Riga to Jelgava train incident

About 140 passengers were evacuated from a Riga to Jelgava train after its pantograph and overhead contact wires were damaged, with several passengers telling LSM they were alarmed by a lack of information during and after the incident.

The train left Riga at 6.35pm on Saturday, October 24, but did not reach Jelgava on schedule. Passengers reported seeing a bright flash shortly before Olaine, followed by loud noises they compared to explosions after the train stopped and later began moving again.

One passenger told Latvian Television that people were worried and calling relatives. She said she did not see the conductor walk through the train, while the operator Passenger Train, which runs services under the Vivi brand, said the conductor did so. The company added that its automatic passenger announcements were not available at the time.

The cause of the incident is being investigated. The article said work to modernise the overhead contact network may have been a factor.