C10/2003R Shunting unit colliding with wagons designed for the transport of dangerous goods on Kemi railway yard on 14 November, 2003

On Friday November 14, 2003 on Kemi railway yard, an incident took place where three empty sodium chlorate wagons and seven loaded cellulose carrying wagons pushed by a shunting locomotive, bumped into loaded sodium chlorate wagons that were at stand-still on the track. As a result of the incident, three wagons derailed. The damage generated by the collision corresponded to about €17,000.

The incident was caused by the shunting foreman having by error mixed up the tracks. In fact he had requested the shunting operator to move the wagons to track 17 while he himself nevertheless was standing between track 14 and track 15, waiting for the wagons to arrive on track 16.

To prevent corresponding incidents in the future, the Accident Investigation Board of Finland recommends that shunting staffs be ensured relevant training whenever changes or modifications have been realized in the railway yard and that the railway yard tracks be equipped with number plates.

C10/2003R Report (pdf, 0.3 Mt)

•Recommendation S193

•Recommendation S194