Argentina train crash, 49 dead more than 600 injured

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (CNN) -- At least 49 people were killed and more than 600 people were injured Wednesday when a train plowed into a platform at a Buenos Aires station, state media said.

The number of casualties could increase, emergency services director Alberto Crescenti said, according to the state-run Telam news agency.

Shaken passengers told reporters the crash sounded like a bomb blast.

"We all fell to the ground. It was horrible," one woman said.

Authorities believe there were problems with the train's brakes, Transportation Secretary Juan Pablo Schiavi said.

The packed train was traveling at 26 kilometers per hour (16 mph) when it crashed, he said.

"Suddenly I heard a bang, and many people fell on top of me. I think I had more than 10 people above me. I got out as quickly as I could," a passenger named Esteban told the state news agency. "I only saw injured people and heard screams."

-- CNN's Jose Manuel Rodriguez contributed to this report.
 
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