ROME – Police confirmed that three people had died and that a further 10 were critically injured after a train derailed on the outskirts of Milan in the early hours of Thursday morning.

 The Trenord service was headed towards Milan’s Piazza Garibaldi when it derailed between Segrate and Piotello. The real-time tracker of the train sent its last signal at 6.57 this morning, making that the likely time of the accident.

 Monza hospital agreed to suspend all non-urgent operations in order to accommodate the injuries, while fire crews worked to free passengers that remained trapped within the carriages. A number of ambulances remain at the scene.

 Police emphasised that the situation is still developing and more updates would follow during the day. Five of the most serious injuries have been declared “code red.”

 One passenger reported to La Repubblica that “shortly before Pioltello the train began to shake, we understood that something was happening.” They added, “the train was full… It must have been shaking for three to four minutes then came the impact. A carriage broke off.”

 The cause of the accident is as yet unknown but train services are suspended between Milan and Treviglio. Trenord, however, have been criticised for the rather curse manner in which they announced the delays on twitter, citing “a technical problem” as the cause.

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