Tram collision in France's Strasbourg injures 50

Paris [France], January 12: Two trams collided in Strasbourg in eastern France on Saturday, injuring 50 people, though none critical, authorities said.
The accident occurred in the afternoon in a tunnel leading to the station near the city's central train station.
"Around 50 people are in a state of relative emergency, with injuries such as scalp wounds, clavicle fractures and knee sprains. But there are no critical injuries. It could have been much worse," Rene Cellier, Director of the Bas-Rhin Fire and Rescue Service, said.
Cellier added that an additional 100 people, though uninjured, were assessed for shock or stress.
The exact cause of the collision was unclear, but local media reported that one of the trams was reversing at the time.
Patrick Maciejewski, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Strasbourg transport company, said that there had been demonstrations in central Strasbourg, which had disrupted tram traffic. "A number of trams had to be reorganised and put on standby. There was a traffic jam," he said.
He added, "We don't know why the train was stopped, but it started to move backwards."
Authorities launched an investigation to determine what caused the collision.
Source: Emirates News Agency