51 poisoned with ammonia after train derailment in Serbia

As many as 51 people have been poisoned after a train carrying ammonia derailed, spilling its cargo in southeastern Serbia, officials said on Sunday.< /p>

The ammonia leak caused "51 cases of poisoning", said Vladan Vasic, the mayor of the town of Pirot where the accident occurred.

"Seven people were taken (to hospital) from Nis", the nearest major city, Vasic told a press conference.

The train derailed in the evening, causing "a leak (of ammonia) and the dispersion of a large quantity of gas into the atmosphere", indicated the ministry of Interior in a press release.

A state of emergency has been declared in the affected part of the city of 60,000 people, and authorities have asked residents to stay at home.

The 20-car train was carrying toxic materials from neighboring Bulgaria, officials said.

There were no other casualties from the derailment.

AFP

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