Derailment at Cléon: 300 kg rail placed on tracks, 44 injured
A Rouen-Caen regional train derailed on Friday evening at Cléon after striking a piece of rail on the track, injuring 44 people. Investigators are treating the incident as a potential deliberate act.
300 kg rail on the tracks: Rouen-Caen regional train derailment injures 44 in Normandy
A regional train linking Rouen to Caen derailed on Friday 11 September 2026 at approximately 19:45 near Cléon in Seine-Maritime, injuring 44 people. According to ouest-france.fr, investigators are now treating the incident as potentially resulting from a deliberate act.
"Suddenly, we felt severe vibrations. The train lifted up. Windows shattered," said Ilario Imbert, 15, who was on board at the time of the incident.
A work rail displaced onto the track
The President of the Normandy Regional Council, Hervé Morin, referred to "a 300 kg iron bar" present on the rails, which "was not there an hour before" the train passed. The item is believed to be a rail that was located at the side of the track as part of ongoing works and which had been "moved" onto the railway.
The Rouen public prosecutor's office confirmed that the main hypothesis is the presence of a piece of rail on the track, which could have been the cause of the derailment. According to a source close to the case, the regional train derailed over a distance of 400 metres following the impact. "The causes of this presence are unknown and must be identified by the investigation," the prosecutor's office stated in a statement.
The train's flight data recorder has been seized. Several interviews are planned and a judicial expert has been requested. The investigation, opened Friday evening and assigned to Rouen's judicial police, is continuing actively, notably through forensic operations at the scene.
Assessment: one seriously injured person now out of danger
During a press briefing held on Friday evening, the prefect reported a provisional toll of 44 injured, including an 18-year-old young woman evacuated as a matter of absolute emergency to Rouen University Hospital. The other victims received urgent but non-critical treatment.
On Saturday morning, Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot indicated on France Info that the 18-year-old woman was still in intensive care, but that her life was no longer in danger. The Rouen public prosecutor's office subsequently confirmed this information. Among the 26 lightly injured people treated Friday evening in four Rouen healthcare facilities, 21 were able to return home during the night and five remained hospitalised Saturday morning, without serious injury.
The train driver was also among the 44 injured. Hervé Morin specified that "his life is not in danger", information that was also reported in a CGT statement.
Massive emergency response mobilisation
The accident required the mobilisation of 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 vehicles. SNCF teams and SAMU services, security forces and hospital staff were engaged in rescue operations.
Minister Philippe Tabarot expressed his "solidarity" with the victims in a message published Saturday noon on social network X. "I wish to commend the commitment of my SNCF colleague staff, firefighters, SAMU teams, rescue and security forces, hospital staff, and all those who mobilised," he declared.
Rail traffic severely disrupted
The immobilised regional train remained on the rails near Cléon on Saturday, and SNCF Réseaux indicated that it was still difficult to assess the time required for lifting and repair operations. "Teams are still fully mobilised," according to the company.
SNCF announced severe disruptions to rail services between Rouen and Caen as well as between Caen and Le Havre, in both directions. Services for regional trains between Rouen and Elbeuf were also suspended to allow investigations to proceed properly. A substitute bus service was put in place for passengers.
Investigation and victim support
The victim support association AVEDE ACJE was to contact each victim individually from the Monday following the accident to assess their situation.
The Rouen public prosecutor's office indicated that the main victim remained hospitalised, without life being in danger, and that the other injured had mostly been able to return home or were about to do so.
Source: Google News LU FR