El Virilla train accident
Encyclopedia
The El Virilla train accident occurred in Costa Rica
on March 14, 1926 when an overcrowded train carrying mostly farmers and labourers derailed whilst crossing a bridge across the Virilla River Canyon, killing 248 and injuring 93.
The train concerned was a Sunday excursion from Alajuela
and Heredia
to Cartago where most intended to visit the statue of the Le Negrita
at the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles, which supposedly has great healing powers. The excursion was arranged to raise money for a home for the elderly by the noted Professor Francisco Gomez Alizago, tickets being enscribed "For the benefit of the elderly of Cartago". A six carriage train was arranged for the trip but proved grossly inadequate as the offer proved to be popular and was greatly over subscribed; no limit being placed on the sale of tickets with over a thousand being sold.
At 7 am, three carriages arrived at Alajuela and left 30 minutes later. Further stops were made and three more carriages were added at Heredia. Despite this many people were unable to board the train and it even missed out a later stop as it was too crowded to allow any more on. At 8:20 the train began to cross the bridge which lay on a left hand curve. A combination a poorly-fastened rail and the excessive weight of the train caused the last carriage to derail and pulled two further carriages from the track; one of which plunged 190 feet to the river below, killing 248 including Professor Alizago. The rescue work continued into the evening; several trains returning to Alajuela and Heredia with the bodies which were left at the stations for identification by friends and families. The government declared three days of national mourning; flags flew at half mast; cinemas, bars and other places of entertainment were closed.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
on March 14, 1926 when an overcrowded train carrying mostly farmers and labourers derailed whilst crossing a bridge across the Virilla River Canyon, killing 248 and injuring 93.
The train concerned was a Sunday excursion from Alajuela
Alajuela
Alajuela is the second largest city in Costa Rica after the capital, San José. It is also the capital of the namesake province. Because of its location in the Costa Rican Central Valley, Alajuela is nowadays englobed in the conurbation of Great Metropolitan Area...
and Heredia
Heredia, Costa Rica
Heredia is a city located in the Heredia province of Costa Rica and is the capital of that province. It is currently undergoing a rapid process of industrialization and is located 10 kilometers north of the country's capital, San José....
to Cartago where most intended to visit the statue of the Le Negrita
Black Madonna
A Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of the Virgin Mary in which the Virgin Mary is black. The term was especially applied to those created in Europe in the medieval period or earlier...
at the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles, which supposedly has great healing powers. The excursion was arranged to raise money for a home for the elderly by the noted Professor Francisco Gomez Alizago, tickets being enscribed "For the benefit of the elderly of Cartago". A six carriage train was arranged for the trip but proved grossly inadequate as the offer proved to be popular and was greatly over subscribed; no limit being placed on the sale of tickets with over a thousand being sold.
At 7 am, three carriages arrived at Alajuela and left 30 minutes later. Further stops were made and three more carriages were added at Heredia. Despite this many people were unable to board the train and it even missed out a later stop as it was too crowded to allow any more on. At 8:20 the train began to cross the bridge which lay on a left hand curve. A combination a poorly-fastened rail and the excessive weight of the train caused the last carriage to derail and pulled two further carriages from the track; one of which plunged 190 feet to the river below, killing 248 including Professor Alizago. The rescue work continued into the evening; several trains returning to Alajuela and Heredia with the bodies which were left at the stations for identification by friends and families. The government declared three days of national mourning; flags flew at half mast; cinemas, bars and other places of entertainment were closed.