As the sun rose over Atlacomulco, a bustling industrial town about 80 miles northwest of Mexico City, the daily commute for dozens of workers turned into a nightmare that would ripple across families and communities. On Monday morning, September 8, 2025, a freight train collided with a double-decker bus filled with domestic and construction workers on their way to the capital, resulting in one of the deadliest transportation tragedies in recent Mexican memory.
According to authorities cited by AP News, the collision left at least 10 people dead and more than 50 injured. The bus, operated by the Herradura de Plata line and traveling from San Felipe del Progreso to Mexico City, was split in two by the force of the impact. The aftermath was chaotic and harrowing—emergency crews from across the region, including the Red Cross, rushed to the scene to extract survivors and tend to the wounded. Discarded clothing and personal belongings were strewn among the wreckage, and the haunting cries of survivors echoed as ambulances ferried the injured to hospitals throughout the State of Mexico.
Footage from the scene, widely circulated on social media and reported by The US Sun, showed the bus at the head of a line of bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Maravatío-Atlacomulco highway. Cars in both directions had stopped at the tracks, but the bus, after a moment's hesitation, crept forward as if trying to beat the oncoming train. The train's horn blared—a warning all too familiar, but tragically unheeded. In a matter of seconds, the freight train slammed into the center of the bus, carrying its shattered remains hundreds of meters down the rails.
"We thought it was just a car. We never thought it would be a bus with so many people aboard," Miguel Sánchez, who was starting his shift at a nearby gas station, told AP News. The crash was so violent that the bus was cleaved in two, with the roof torn off and passengers left exposed on the second level.
For the families of those on board, the hours after the collision were filled with fear and uncertainty. Isabel Segundo, whose 17-year-old daughter Yoana was among the passengers, described the panic of trying to reach her child by phone, only to get voicemail. "I was terrified when I saw news of the accident. I thought my daughter had died," she recalled. Relief came only later, as medical workers called out names through a megaphone outside the hospital, reuniting some families while others faced unbearable loss.
Rebeca Miranda, waiting near the accident site, was among those grappling with both grief and practical questions. Her sister survived but was hospitalized, while her sister’s daughter-in-law was killed. "It’s really unfortunate. Why? To beat the train. These are lives," Miranda lamented, echoing a sentiment shared by many who questioned why the bus attempted to cross the tracks as the train approached.
Investigators quickly launched inquiries into the circumstances of the crash. The state prosecutor’s office opened a formal investigation, and Mexico’s civil defense agency coordinated rescue and recovery efforts at the site. TNND reported that Atlacomulco city officials urged residents to stay away from the scene, posting on social media, "We express our sincere solidarity to the families affected at this time."
One of the most troubling aspects revealed by both eyewitness accounts and video evidence was the lack of basic safety infrastructure at the crossing. There was a stop sign and a worn railroad crossing sign, but no protective gates or warning lights—nothing to physically prevent vehicles from crossing as a train approached. The train company, Canadian Pacific Kansas City of Mexico, confirmed the collision and expressed condolences to the victims’ families. In a statement, the company called on drivers "to respect the signage and to comply with the full stop order at railroad crossings, to avoid accidents like the one this morning in Atlacomulco."
The bus company, Herradura de Plata, also issued a statement expressing deep regret and pledging to provide "medical, psychological, legal and logistical" support to those affected. The company’s spokesperson emphasized its commitment to cooperating fully with authorities investigating the tragedy.
For survivors and their families, the aftermath is filled with anxiety about recovery, accountability, and the future. Florencia de Jesús Sabino, whose husband Alberto Maximino de Jesús was among the injured, told AP News that he managed to call her immediately after the crash. "We had an accident, a train ran us over," he told her before hanging up. Now stable, Alberto remains the main provider for his family. Florencia is left wondering, "Now that my husband is stable, I want to know how the bus company is going to pay for the damages."
Monday’s tragedy is not an isolated incident. According to a recent report from Mexico’s Rail Transportation Regulating Agency, accidents at grade-level crossings have been on the rise, with 800 such accidents recorded in 2024, up from 602 in 2020. The report, published in September 2025, underscores a worrying trend that has seen deadly collisions become all too common. Just last month, six people died in a train collision in Guanajuato state, and in 2019, nine perished in a similar crash in Querétaro.
Despite the frequency of these accidents, the regulatory authority has yet to implement widespread safety upgrades at crossings—leaving many to question how many more lives must be lost before action is taken. The lack of crossing gates and warning systems, especially at busy commuter routes like the Maravatío-Atlacomulco highway, stands in stark contrast to safety standards in other countries. Families and advocates are now demanding accountability and reforms to prevent future tragedies.
As the investigation continues, the community of Atlacomulco and the greater Mexico City region mourn those lost and rally around the injured and their families. The collision has sparked a broader conversation about transportation safety, workers’ rights, and the responsibilities of both private companies and public authorities in safeguarding lives.
For now, the memory of that fateful morning lingers—a stark reminder of the perils faced by thousands who rely on public transport for their livelihoods, and a call to action for safer roads and railways across Mexico.
