A serious rail accident in northern Denmark has left five people critically injured after two trains collided head-on on a regional line northwest of Copenhagen.
The crash occurred early Thursday morning between Hillerød and Kagerup in the North Zealand region. Authorities say 37 people were on board the trains at the time. In addition to the critically injured, 13 others sustained less serious injuries. All casualties were transported to hospital, some by air.
Emergency services were alerted at 06:29 local time, with rescue teams quickly arriving at the wooded crash site. Images from the scene show two trains facing each other with significant front-end damage.
Local officials expressed shock at the incident. Trine Egetved, mayor of the Gribskov municipality, said the accident was deeply unsettling for the community, noting the line is widely used by commuters and students. Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, said she was “very concerned” by the event.
Investigations are underway, led by the Accident Investigation Board Denmark and local police. Officials say it is too early to determine the cause, but possible factors under review include signalling system failure or human error.
Operator Lokaltog described the crash as one of the worst conceivable in the railway sector. Early reports suggest one driver attempted to brake before the collision and assisted in evacuating passengers.
While rail accidents are rare in Denmark, early expert speculation points to the possibility that one train may have passed a stop signal and entered the wrong track. The line involved is not believed to be equipped with the latest automated safety systems.
Authorities have stressed that the priority now is to care for the injured and determine the exact sequence of events to prevent a recurrence.
Two local trains collided head-on near Hillerod, Denmark, injuring at least 17 people, including four in critical condition, according to emergency services https://t.co/z1CPi6Vmgo pic.twitter.com/oIk1m9fmKi
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 23, 2026