Preliminary findings suggest that two train derailments within 48 hours in Lithuania’s Kaunas and Kėdainiai districts were caused by different technical factors, a representative of Lithuanian Railways said Monday.
Gediminas Šečkus said initial assessments indicate distinct causes for the incidents. He noted that the derailment at Jiesia station in Kaunas district might have been avoided if a signalling system had been in operation. By contrast, such a system is already installed at Gudžiūnai station in Kėdainiai district, suggesting that incident was unrelated to its absence.
Šečkus said a commission will examine all possible scenarios, assessing both technical and organizational factors, and will propose additional safety measures. Broader strategic decisions are also expected to be considered, including infrastructure modernisation and further investment in signalling systems.
He pointed to the European-gauge railway line from the Polish border to Kaunas as an example where signalling solutions enabling effective responses to potential malfunctions are not yet fully implemented. Strengthening such systems could improve safety, he said.
Šečkus added that no similar railway incidents have occurred in Lithuania within such a short timeframe over the past decade. He said infrastructure and rolling stock are regularly inspected and maintained in accordance with legal and technical requirements, but the specific circumstances of these events will be clarified during the investigation.
“Whether all necessary maintenance and safety actions were performed in these specific cases can only be confirmed once the investigation is completed,” he said.
A locomotive and four freight wagons travelling from Palemonas, Lithuania, to Duisburg, Germany, derailed at Jiesia station late Saturday. A day earlier, several wagons carrying crushed stone derailed at Gudžiūnai station.
Following the incidents, train traffic on the Jiesia section is operating on a single cleared track while urgent repairs to damaged infrastructure are underway, with completion expected this week. The European-gauge track used for cargo transport to Western Europe sustained the most damage.
Passenger services were also affected, with delays of up to 30 minutes recorded on routes including Vilnius–Klaipėda, Vilnius–Šiauliai, Kaunas–Šiauliai and Vilnius–Riga. In some cases, delays were shorter, ranging from 10 to 15 minutes.
Lithuanian Railways said the commission includes senior managers and business resilience specialists tasked with determining the causes of the incidents and preparing long-term measures to reduce the risk of similar events in the future.
Criminal probes
Prosecutors announced later on Monday that pre-trial investigations have been opened into the two train.
The probes are conducted under the Criminal Code for improper maintenance or repair of transport vehicles or railway equipment. The investigations are organised by the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor’s Office and conducted by Kaunas criminal police.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the investigations will determine the circumstances, causes and damages of the incidents to assess whether any criminal acts were committed.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
