VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez sends condolences after train operator killed in collision

Record ID: 382168

  • Title: VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez sends condolences after train operator killed in collision
  • Date: 30th September 2011
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (SEPTEMBER 29, 2011) (REUTERS) PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT PALACE MILITARY OFFICIALS LISTENING TO CHAVEZ (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) HUGO CHAVEZ, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT, SAYING: "It's unfortunate. I'm very sorry about the death of a worker, a train operator who was up front when the train crashed. They explained to me in detail what happened. It's very unfortunate, very unfortunate. My condolences to the relatives of Wilfredo Cerezo, the worker who died. The causes must be investigated well. It would irresponsible not to take this to court, but everything is hypothetical. It was good to evacuate all the thousands of people who were stranded on the road, because the trains immediately stopped."
  • Embargoed: 15th October 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
  • Country: Venezuela
  • Topics: Disasters
  • Reuters ID: LVA91IJK5L2G0WZ05Z59YDM9XBWB
  • Story Text: A train operator was killed and 30 people were injured on Thursday (September 29) when two trains collided in a tunnel outside Caracas.
    Local news outlets reported one of the trains derailed and the oncoming train put on the brakes, but not in time to avoid the accident.
    In Caracas, President Hugo Chavez sent his condolences to the family of the victim.
    "It's unfortunate. I'm very sorry about the death of a worker, a train operator who was up front when the train crashed. They explained to me in detail what happened. It's very unfortunate, very unfortunate. My condolences to the relatives of Wilfredo Cerezo (seh-REH-soh), the worker who died. The causes must be investigated well. It would irresponsible not to take this to court, but everything is hypothetical. It was good to evacuate all the thousands of people who were stranded on the road, because the trains immediately stopped," Chavez said.
    The accident took place in Valles del Tuy (vah-YES dehl too-ee), just south of the capital Caracas. Images provided by state television showed people walking on the tracks away from the scene of the accident
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register