Passenger killed as train derails after hitting truck at Polish level crossing

September 9, 2026 at 09:12 PM2 min

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A passenger was killed and 20 people injured when an intercity train derailed after colliding with a concrete mixer truck at a level crossing in Sokolniki Suche, Poland, on Wednesday. The train, carrying about 120 people, was struck by the truck at around 11:20 local time, PKP Intercity said. Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the accident "very serious" and demanded urgent tougher regulations for level crossings.

Key Facts

One passenger was killed and 20 people were injured, including four seriously, in the collision.
The accident occurred at around 11:20 local time (09:20 GMT) in Sokolniki Suche, about 100 km south of Warsaw.
The intercity train was carrying about 120 people when it was struck by a concrete mixer truck at the level crossing.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the accident "very serious" and demanded urgent tougher regulations for level crossings.
Deputy Infrastructure Minister Piotr Malepszak said the truck driver, who was among the injured, claimed he was blinded by the sun.

The Collision

The accident happened at a level crossing in Sokolniki Suche, about 100 km south of Warsaw, at around 11:20 local time. A concrete mixer truck struck the second carriage of the intercity train, causing several carriages to derail. Reports from the scene said there were traffic lights at the crossing and the truck hit the carriage behind the train engine. The sequence of events is still under investigation, but Deputy Infrastructure Minister Piotr Malepszak said the truck driver claimed he was blinded by the sun.

Casualties and Response

PKP Intercity, the national long-distance rail operator, confirmed that 20 people were injured, including four seriously. Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the accident as "very serious" and said urgent work on tougher regulations must begin immediately. Tusk called for a "radical toughening of the rules" for drivers who systematically enter level crossings despite barriers and red lights.

Recent Similar Incidents

This is the second such accident in Poland in as many weeks. Last week, a lorry driver crossed the first set of barriers at a level crossing as they were closing and reversed, then moved forward in an unsuccessful attempt to evade another PKP train.