Two dead, 49 injured as tram derails, crashes into building in Milan

At least two people were killed and 49 others injured after a tram derailed in central Milan and slammed into a building on Friday night, triggering a major emergency response.

The Number 9 tram was travelling along Vittorio Veneto Avenue when it suddenly swerved at a switch track used by another tram line instead of continuing straight, according to video footage broadcast by Sky TG24. The footage shows the tram nearly tipping onto its side as it took the curve before crashing into a nearby building.

Dozens of ambulances, fire engines and police vehicles rushed to the scene, with emergency crews escorting survivors away wrapped in thermal blankets.

Milan mayor Beppe Sala suggested human error may have caused the हादसा, saying the driver appeared to have failed to switch tracks to keep the tram moving straight. He described the driver as an experienced employee who had been on duty for only about an hour before the crash.

Sala also revealed that the driver had skipped a stop shortly before the accident and would be questioned by authorities from the hospital, where he was receiving treatment for his injuries.

Emergency services confirmed two fatalities. The mayor said one victim died onboard the tram, while the second was killed on the street.

Investigations into the exact cause of the derailment are ongoing.