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Scores of people were injured in a train crash in Barcelona, Spain, on Friday.
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Adrian Quiroga/Associated Press

At least 50 people were injured after a commuter train in Barcelona crashed during the morning rush on Friday as it entered one of the city’s main stations.

The crash occurred on the first day of a strike by railway employees in Catalonia and elsewhere in Spain, forcing the cancellation of many trains. The employees are protesting planned job cuts across Spain’s railway system.

There was no indication that the crash was related to the strike, and there were no reports of fatalities.

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The train struck a buffer at the end of the platform. Officials have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.
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Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

The train, which was arriving from the village of Sant Vicenç de Calders in the province of Tarragona, hit a buffer at Franca Station shortly after 7 a.m. local time, according to local news outlets. At least 18 people were taken to the hospital, including one person with serious injuries, officials said. The train driver was among those injured.

Officials have opened an investigation into the cause of the crash.

Josep Rull, a member of the regional Catalan government, told reporters that the casualty toll was not bigger because the crash had “luckily” occurred as the train approached the station at a reduced speed.

Some of those who were injured, however, suffered injuries because they had gotten out of their seats to disembark as the train reached the station.

Source: www.nytimes.com