Benitha Källberg traveled from Stockholm, and was on her way to Sundsvall when the train derailed. She tells TV4 Nyheterna that the train initially stopped in Gävle.
– We stood still for 45 minutes, then there was talk of not continuing because it was raining so much.
Despite everything, the train continued. The rescue service has previously stated that the train was traveling approximately 40 kilometers per hour over the area where the derailment occurred, as it was known that the embankment had been affected by the heavy rainfall.
– It was as if the rails had disappeared, you felt that the train jerked. The train driver braked and bags flew. At first we didn’t understand at all what had happened, but it felt so clear.
“The last wagon has overturned”
Benitha describes how it felt like the train was rocking, and how the passengers in the carriage looked at each other. She was in the first carriage that didn’t derail.
– I was very cut, and that was before we understood how serious it was.
– Then it took maybe 20 seconds before the train hostess came walking very quickly and hit the driver’s cab hard. When he opened, she said the carriage has overturned, the last carriage has overturned.
Benitha Källberg describes how both the train staff and later the emergency services that were called to the scene were both clear and helpful, and praises how they took good care of the passengers.
“It was chaos”
Together with some other travelers, she was evacuated on a trolley to Hudiksvall. But there was a complete lack of information, according to Benitha Källberg. Instead, they were left in limbo, without help and without food.
– They didn’t arrange a ride, but we took ourselves north by bus. We were all very upset, it was chaos and we didn’t know where to go.
– A girl entered the train and explained that we had been involved in an accident and hadn’t eaten anything since this morning. Then handed out some chips and pancakes. Finally, an SJ employee came and gave us some water.
When TV4 Nyheterna talks to Benitha, she has just arrived at her final destination Sundsvall. She is devastated by the incident and believes that SJ has seriously broken down.
– This is a trauma. Then you should react immediately. We understood after talking to the train driver and the train hostess that we had an angel guard.
SJ: “Sorry”
Anders Edgren at SJ’s press service states that an SJ employee was on site in Hudiksvall to help, but that there were difficulties with replacement traffic.
– It is very tragic if you feel that you have not received help. It is true that we did not get hold of replacement buses to the extent we wanted, some then chose to travel with local buses.
– I can only regret, we will contact travelers who were on the train that derailed, he says.
In addition to the passengers on board the derailed train, many other travelers were affected by canceled train departures.
– If you feel that you have not been taken care of well enough, you can claim expenses that you do not think you should have had afterwards, says Anders Edgren.