A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon in Zaragoza when a 12-year-old girl lost her life after being struck by a tram. The accident occurred around 2:00 PM at the Romareda tram stop, located directly opposite the Miguel Servet Hospital, as confirmed by the Zaragoza City Council.
Emergency services swiftly responded to the scene, dispatching firefighters, local police officers, and medical teams. Unfortunately, efforts to save the young girl were futile, leading to her immediate declaration of death on-site. Eyewitness reports suggest the incident coincided with the rush hour for students leaving local educational institutions.
According to El Heraldo de Aragón, local homicide investigators are examining footage from nearby surveillance cameras to ascertain the details surrounding the accident. Initial reports indicate the victim may have been attempting to cross the tram tracks when the light was red for her, but green for the tram, leaving the driver with insufficient time to stop.
Following the accident, tram services were severely disrupted. The tram continued running on limited loops between the Olvidados and Mago de Oz stops and between the Academia and Gran Vía stops, with alternate bus services established for the affected segment.
This heartbreaking event marks the sixth fatal tram incident since the service commenced back in 2011. Notably, there was another incident at the same Romareda stop back in 2014, where a 56-year-old woman tragically lost her life after being hit by the tram under similar circumstances. Since then, Zaragoza has seen several other fatal accidents with the tram system, raising concerns about safety and the need for increased vigilance around tram tracks.
Authorities are now tasked with determining what led to this tragic event. The investigation will encompass not only the traffic regulations at the time of the accident but also the broader safety protocols surrounding tram operation and the infrastructure within high-traffic areas like Romareda, which is known for its proximity to multiple educational facilities.
Esta no es la primera vez que un accidente mortal involucra al tranvía en Zaragoza. En 2017, un hombre de 85 años fue atropellado en la Plaza Aragón, y días después, una mujer que viajaba en una ambulancia fue arrollada en el cruce de la avenida del Séptimo Arte. Más recientemente, en 2018, un joven de 24 años perdió la vida al cruzar fuera del paso de peatones en la Plaza San Francisco. Las autoridades están tomando nota de estos incidentes mientras se preparan para responder ante la comunidad afectada por la muerte de esta joven estudiante.