Five Critically Injured After Head-On Train Collision in Denmark

At least five people have been critically injured and 13 others hurt following a head-on train collision in Denmark, authorities have confirmed.

The crash occurred early Thursday on a railway line connecting the towns of Hillerød and Kagerup, northwest of Copenhagen. Police said a total of 37 people were on board the two trains at the time of the accident.

Emergency services responded immediately after the collision, which happened at approximately 06:29 local time. All injured passengers were transported to hospital by ambulance or airlift, according to Tim Ole Simonsen of the Greater Copenhagen fire department.

Local officials described the incident as deeply distressing. Trine Egetved, mayor of the Gribskov municipality, said she was “deeply shaken” and confirmed that those critically injured had been taken to the national hospital in Copenhagen.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen expressed concern over what she called a “terrible train accident,” as authorities began investigating the cause.

The Danish Accident Investigation Board has launched an inquiry alongside police, examining all possible causes. Investigators say it is too early to determine what led to the crash but are considering multiple scenarios, including a potential signalling system failure or human error.

The trains, operated by Lokaltog, were shown in footage with significant front-end damage, having collided in a wooded area.

Rail operator officials described the incident as one of the most severe imaginable in the industry and said efforts are now focused on gathering data to understand how the collision occurred.