1978 Košice tram accident

1978 Košice tram accident
View from Festival Square to the scene of the accident on Czechoslovak Army Street
Details
Date30 October 1978
Around 07:20
LocationFestivalové námestie, Košice
Coordinates48°43′40″N 21°14′35″E / 48.7278°N 21.24316°E / 48.7278; 21.24316
CountryCzechoslovakia (now Slovakia)
Statistics
Deaths9
Injured90

On 30 October 1978, an accident of tram line No. 6 occurred in Košice, Czechoslovakia. A set of Tatra T3 trams on line 6 lost control while driving downhill on the SNP Avenue to the Amphitheatre and, due to excessive speed, derailed, overturned and crashed into trees. The accident killed 9 people and injured 90. It is the largest accident in the history of urban transport in Slovakia and is considered one of the biggest tram accidents in the history of Central Europe.[1][2][3]

Crash

On Monday, 30 October 1978, at 07:20, two Tatra T3 tram carriages were full with passengers trying to get to work or school in the early hours of the morning.[4][5] It is estimated that there were about 200 passengers in the two tram carriages.[6] During the ride, passengers noticed that the tram was accelerating at an unusual speed when going downhill.[7] During investigations, it was said that the tram driver shouted for people to hold on because the tram's brakes were not working. Others say that the driver said nothing because she was trying to stop the tram.[8] The driver was unable to stop the tram and it passed the stop at the amphitheatre at an estimated speed of 77–85 km/h.[9] The tram derailed around a bend. The first carriage overturned first, followed by the second. The tram was stopped by a tree on the track.[10][11]

The accident killed nine people, including the driver. Ten passengers were seriously injured, and another eighty suffered minor injuries.[6][12]

Aftermath

Memorial to the victims at the site of the accident

The investigation of the accident is often questioned, which is mainly due to the fact that the tram driver reported problems with the brakes and was ordered to complete the journey despite the malfunction[1] and also that the state security officers shredded the investigation report in 1989.[13] Only the resolution of the Public Security Investigation Department of 27 December 1978, has been preserved. This resolution identifies the tram driver, Marta Lileková, as the sole culprit in the accident.[13]

On 30 October 2008, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the accident, a monument dedicated to the event was created by sculptor Zbynek Nišponský.[14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Od havárie električky smrti uplynulo 40 rokov. Matka jednej z obetí po nešťastí do nej už nesadla | TVNOVINY.sk". tvnoviny.sk (in Slovak). 31 October 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  2. ↑ Mužla, Lukáš (30 October 2018). "Košická električka smrti: Pred 40 rokmi sa v metropole východu odohrala najväčšia havária mestskej verejnej dopravy v našich dejinách". interez.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  3. ↑ Hrešková, Alexandra (30 October 2025). "Košičania si pripomínajú Električku smrti, o život vtedy prišlo deväť ľudí. Mladá Janka si v ten deň obula nové čižmičky". Košicak.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Spomienka na obete tragickej havarie električky, 30. oktobra uplynie 45 rokov". archiv.kosice-city.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Manžel známej českej speváčky unikol smrti o chlp: Cestná apokalypsa si vyžiadala 9 mŕtvych". Plus JEDEN DEŇ (in Slovak). 30 October 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  6. 1 2 "Havária električky smrti ostane zahalená tajomstvom - v skratKE" (in Slovak). 8 November 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Jedna z najväčších dopravných tragédií Slovenska: Pri nehode električky zahynulo deväť ľudí". spravy.stvr.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  8. ↑ Tomaškovičová, Jana. "Príčina tragickej nehody električky je aj po 45 rokoch zahalená rúškom tajomstva". www.kosiceonline.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "História košickej hromadnej dopravy -4. časť | Dopravný podnik mesta Košice". www.dpmk.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  10. ↑ Novotná, Jana. "Od najväčšej dopravnej tragédie v Košiciach uplynie 40 rokov". Korzár Košice (in Slovak). Petit Press. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "Od nehody električky v Košiciach uplynie 40 rokov, pribudne pamätník". TERAZ.sk (in Slovak). TASR. 29 October 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "Obrovská tragédia v Košiciach: Pred 40 rokmi sa vykoľajila električka a umrelo 9 ľudí". Topky.sk (in Slovak). Zoznam. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  13. 1 2 "Tragická jazda košickej električky". pohrebnictvo.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  14. ↑ Hakl, Robo (25 October 2023). "Košičania si pripomenuli tragickú haváriu električky". Aktuality.sk (in Slovak). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
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