Aracaju train crash
Encyclopedia
The Aracaju train crash, which occurred on March 20, 1946 is the worst ever rail disaster in Brazil
; killing 185 people and injuring 300 others. The accident happened near Aracaju
, capital of the coastal state of Sergipe
, 800 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro
.
The train concerned was a suburban service operating between Aracaju and Capela
and carrying about one thousand passengers. The locomotive, baggage car and three passenger cars were derailed whilst descending a steep incline near Aracaju, most of the dead being "smashed within the cars", "Many bodies were mutilated so badly that identification was impossible".
Grief-stricken relatives came to the scene and nearly lynched the surviving locomotive engineer who depending on the source either took refuge in a police station or fled the area later to surrender in the town of Laranjeiras, Sergipe
. The train conductors also fled.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
; killing 185 people and injuring 300 others. The accident happened near Aracaju
Aracaju
-Vegetation:Aracaju lies in tropical forest. Rainforests are characterized by high rainfall, with minimum normal annual rainfall between 2,000 mm and 1,700 mm...
, capital of the coastal state of Sergipe
Sergipe
Sergipe , is the smallest state of the Brazilian Federation, located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of the country. It borders on two other states, Bahia to the south and west and Alagoas to the north, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean...
, 800 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
.
The train concerned was a suburban service operating between Aracaju and Capela
Capela
Capela is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Alagoas. Its population is 18,640 and its area is 205 km².Capela is also the name of a neighborhood located on the west side of the town of Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania. Its name is derived from the Capela Hill, which lies to the west of...
and carrying about one thousand passengers. The locomotive, baggage car and three passenger cars were derailed whilst descending a steep incline near Aracaju, most of the dead being "smashed within the cars", "Many bodies were mutilated so badly that identification was impossible".
Grief-stricken relatives came to the scene and nearly lynched the surviving locomotive engineer who depending on the source either took refuge in a police station or fled the area later to surrender in the town of Laranjeiras, Sergipe
Laranjeiras, Sergipe
300px|rightLaranjeiras is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Sergipe. Its population was 26,452 and its area is 163 km²....
. The train conductors also fled.