A 37-year-old woman from Brasilia, Brazil, lost her life in an accident involving a collision between a bus and a train on Friday, November 17.
The incident occurred when the bus that Julia de Albuquerque Violato was traveling in ended up on train tracks at a railroad crossing, leading to a catastrophic encounter with an oncoming freight train.
According to eyewitness accounts and startling footage captured at the scene, the freight train sounded its horn while approaching the bus, which was situated perilously on the tracks. Despite the warning, the train was unable to stop in time, resulting in it smashing into the side of the bus. Violato was ejected from the bus window and run over by the train, leading to her death. The authorities confirmed that she was cut in half by the impact.
Violato, a fine arts graduate from the University of Brasília, was on her way to a charity shop to donate clothes at the time of the accident. The footage of the incident shows the severity of the crash, with the bus seen severely damaged and Violato’s lower body severed, lying on the tracks.
In addition to Violato’s death, five other individuals were injured in the accident. Nildete Antunes Vitor, 58, suffered head injuries and had multiple fractures; Julio Botelho Fernandes, 28, suffered head trauma and was unconscious; Janderson Rodrigues da Costa, 47, had injuries to his face and arms; and the bus driver, Pedro Domiense Campos, 42, was in shock and suffered severe emotional trauma. A 19-year-old girl was also taken to the hospital in shock due to the traumatic nature of the crash.
The victim’s mother, Ana Rosa, 72, spoke about her daughter with deep affection and sorrow, describing her as “fearless and courageous.” Rosa shared her profound loss, noting that Julia was not just her daughter but also her closest companion. She reminisced about their bond, highlighting how Julia took care of her in her old age and expressed concerns about dying before her. She reportedly plans to take legal action against the bus company for their role in the accident, accusing them of negligence.
The local authorities have cordoned off the area and initiated an investigation into the circumstances leading to the accident.