It was an extremely rare accident... which fortunately only caused minor injuries. This Tuesday at the start of the afternoon, a tram on line T9 (Orly-Porte de Choisy) came off its tracks and hit the back of an RATP bus on line 323 which was passing nearby. The collision occurred in Ivry-sur-Seine, at the Verdun stop, shortly before the Porte de Choisy, terminus of the line. Both vehicles were carrying many passengers.
According to the firefighters, who quickly went to the scene, thirteen of them were injured. Victims of falls or bruises following the shock, none of them would have been seriously affected. The mayor (PS) of the 13th arrondissement, Jérôme Coumet, visited the site.
T9 traffic was immediately interrupted in both directions, from Paris to Mac Val in Vitry. But tram traffic was maintained beyond that, up to the Orly terminus. Replacement buses were put in place on the part closed after the accident. The resumption of traffic on the section was planned around 10 p.m. The damaged train must be put back on the rails and towed to the depot.
The reasons for the accident and the derailment of the tram have not yet been determined. The RATP indicated that the bus driver's alcohol and drug tests came back negative. The authority has activated its assistance and support unit for victims. Keolis, the SNCF subsidiary operating the T9 tram line, has not yet reacted. A police investigation is open and the president of Île-de-France Mobilités, Valérie Pécresse, has asked Keolis for a report on the accident.
Chance or law of series? The T9 tram line had already been affected by an accident less than five days ago. Last Friday, during the morning rush hour, two trams following each other on the line collided upon arrival at a station at Orly. The collision caused nine minor injuries, including two children. The reasons for this incomprehensible collision have not yet been determined.
