Tram Derails in Oslo, Crashing into Store and Injuring Four

A tram derails in Oslo and crashes into a store, resulting in four injured people. The Apple retailer store where the tram crashed was located in central Oslo, Norway. 

Norwegian police confirmed injuries of three people when the crash took place this morning in the late hours amongst the bustle of the commercial area. Emergency services were called instantly at the site for the treatment of the wounded. 

None of the injured people were examined to be having severe injuries. In total, there were 20 passengers on the tram at the time of the collision. 

The tram’s driver was also injured among the three but had no serious injuries. The fourth person is an outsider. 

The blue tram belonged to the Oslo transport authority Sporveien. The company runs trams that take 50 million passengers on a yearly basis in the subway of Oslo.

It left its track and straightaway crashed into the ground floor of the store. The store was situated in a four-story building right in the centre of the Norwegian capital. 

A massive response was observed from the local emergency teams of the area that helped in dispersing the crowd as well. 

How tram derails in Oslo?

The police officer in charge of the accident site, Anders Roenning told that the tram derailed when it was taking a left turn into Storgata. Storgata is one of the main streets in central Oslo. 

He said,

“Instead it drove straight and right into the shop”. 

One passerby had to jump off the tram’s pathway when he saw the tram was derailed and now might be speeding towards him. 

The demolition worker witnessed the tram derailment 

Thomas Larsen, 42, the demolition worker, was driving on his electric scooter when he saw the accident in front of his eyes. He witnessed the tram derailment and crash into the store. 

Afterwards, he gave his statement to the police by explaining that he pulled his scooter brakes right on time as three seconds later, the tram derailed. He predicted he could have been under it otherwise. 

He was scared that such an incident could take place in the middle of the city where most of the civilians were present in central Oslo. 

Sporveien spokesperson finds it hard to explain 

One of the Sporveien spokesmen explained that it is hard to say what caused the derailment as there needs to be an investigation into the factors that contributed to such a danger. Inquiries by the company’s specialists might help in decoding the reasons, he said. 

The tram’s first carriage slammed straight into the Apple store which, police and fire department state, has caused great damage to the building. 

One of the Tram’s passengers opened up

Julie Hogmo Madsen, who is 24 years old, said that she was seated at the back of the tram. She unveiled that she felt big jerks and the tram started to shake more than it normally does. She felt something suspicious and when it took a turn, it was understood that the tram was off its tracks, she said.

She told the police that “it went bang” into the Apple store afterwards.  

She remembered that by that time, people had become hysterical and screams were heard from everywhere. She thought of running towards the tram’s front when the tram stopped moving. She thought she might get help for herself and for everyone else on the tram to assist them in getting out. 

Another passenger witness

Another passenger named Andre Norheim told the media that it was someone above them who was watching over them and protecting everyone if no one got seriously hurt. This is a blessing, she said, to have survived such a powerful crash. 

Proceedings after derailment 

The area is still found in debris and shattered glass pieces of the tram. The police said the derailment made a lot of noise which gave the locals and people in the store much time to make themselves safe and get out of the way. Hence, no mass destruction is in sight. 

Despite the driver of the tram being injured himself, he is assumed to be a suspect since overspeeding is expected to be the cause of this accident. Norwegian police said that the identification of the driver has not been made yet. 

The police opened up that they did not want to speculate and judge the driver for being the culprit. However, further investigations would give several answers about the cause of the accident, they said. 

Removal of the tram from the building 

The tram is still in place and is causing disruptions in the movement of heavy traffic in the central city centre. However, arrangements are in the running to move the destroyed vehicle aside. 

There need to be preliminary steps conducted before the removal of the tram from the building. The damaged building had an Apple store along with offices. Hence, a great deal of damage is already done. 

The tram cannot be removed until structural experts give the go-ahead about the stability of the building’s remaining walls. Other precautions have been taken to prevent the building from collapse. 

The area is now sealed and the Oslo store building is evacuated. The structural damage and inspections of the tram’s derailment are now to be probed, the police confirmed. 

FAQs

1. What happened in Oslo with the tram derailment?
A tram derailed in central Oslo and crashed into the ground floor of an Apple retailer store, injuring four people. The accident occurred on a busy street in the city center, causing considerable structural damage to the building.

2. How many people were injured in the accident?
Four people were injured, including the tram driver. Thankfully, none of the injuries were reported as severe.

3. How many passengers were on the tram at the time of the crash?
There were 20 passengers on the tram during the incident.

4. Where did the tram derail?
The tram derailed while turning left into Storgata, a major street in central Oslo. Instead of turning, it continued straight and collided with the store.

5. Who witnessed the accident?
Thomas Larsen, a demolition worker on an electric scooter, witnessed the tram derailment and gave a statement to the police. He described how he stopped his scooter just in time to avoid being hit.

6. What has the tram operator, Sporveien, said about the incident?
A Sporveien spokesperson mentioned that an investigation is necessary to determine the exact cause of the derailment and that it’s difficult to explain the accident without further inquiries.