CAIRO – A train plowed into three vehicles in a northern Egyptian town on Wednesday, killing at least 40 people and injuring 50, a police official said.
The collision occurred after a large truck slammed into the three vehicles, pushing them onto the tracks, he said. The train en route from Matruh to Alexandria crushed the cars as it reached the intersection.
The incident took place near the Mediterranean city of Marsa Matrouh, 270 miles northwest of the capital, Cairo, the official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
Thirty-five people were declared dead at the scene, while five died in a hospital.
Initially, the police said 20 people were killed, but the death toll rose after more bodies were pulled from the wreckage.
Road accidents are common in Egypt due to poor enforcement of traffic laws and bad roads. Police estimate traffic incidents kill about 6,000 people annually.
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