On Saturday, the police will change the case’s status from being an investigation case to an investigation, the West police district says in a press release.
– Two employees of Onrail AS have the status of suspect. This is the locomotive driver on the freight train and an employee who has helped prepare the train for departure, says police attorney Anja Mathiesen.
The police suspect a breach of the Criminal Code for negligently causing danger to the public or complicity in this.
– The police have questioned both suspects. No charges have been brought against any of them, emphasizes Mathiesen.
– Safety is the most important thing
General manager Henning Aandahl of Onrail says that they have cooperated with the police and the National Accident Investigation Board to help shed light on the case.
– Safety is the most important thing, and we at Onrail see this accident as very serious, he says to NTB.
The article continues below the adThe article continues below the ad
– The fact that two employees in Bergen are suspected also gives them rights. Then it remains to be seen what the police find out, says Aandahl and adds that the employees have been followed up internally.
Onrail attended the accident site on Saturday to examine the condition of the locomotive and to retrieve the “black box”, which Aandahl says can help provide answers.
– It will be dismantled and sent to Oslo, where it will be read in the next few days, he says further.
Pleads not guilty
The Norwegian Railway Association has engaged Elden Advokatfirma to safeguard their member’s rights in a demanding situation, says lawyer Per Magne Kristiansen. This applies to the other person in the case, who works as a truck driver.
The article continues below the adThe article continues below the ad
He does not plead guilty in the case, but cooperates fully with the police, Kristiansen explains.
The article continues below the ad
– He has explained himself about the circumstances he is aware of, so that the case can be concluded as quickly as possible for him, says Kristiansen further.
Several people questioned
It was Friday evening that a freight train with 25 wagons derailed at Arna station outside Bergen. No one was seriously injured as a result of the derailment, but the train driver had minor injuries and was attended to by medical personnel.
Police crime technicians continued their investigations at the accident scene through the night and into Saturday.
On Saturday, a number of interviews were also carried out in the case in order to map the course of events and the cause. On Saturday evening, crime scene technicians were still at the scene.
Bergensbanen is closed between Bergen and Vaksdal as a result of the train accident, and Bane Nor has announced that they will provide a new update on Monday afternoon.
– Ran a red light
The Accident Investigation Board arrived at the scene on Saturday to start its investigations into the case.
The article continues below the ad
The goods train passed a stop signal on its way out of Arna station, said department director Ida Hogganvik Grøndah in the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board to NRK earlier Saturday.
– We know that it has run a red light, said Grøndahl, who emphasized that they do not yet know why this happened.
– An emergency call has been made in advance, and we are investigating this further. A diverting switch intervened to prevent the train from moving on, she said further.
