Freight train derails in Lota, damaging homes after water main breaks

Six wagons of a Fepasa freight train derailed near homes in Colcura, in the Chilean commune of Lota, after leaving the tracks on Sunday afternoon.

The train was carrying pulp from the Horcones plant to the port of Coronel. The derailment occurred at about 1 p.m., and several carriages came to rest only a few meters from a residential area. No injuries were reported.

The accident also broke an Essbio water main. The damage interrupted drinking-water service for much of Lota’s coastal sector, affecting residents beyond the immediate derailment site. The cause of the derailment remained to be determined.