Train collision kills four family members at Ghidigeni rail crossing in Galați
A passenger train travelling from Bucharest to Iași collided with a transport van at an unprotected level crossing in Ghidigeni, killing four family members including a 12-year-old child.
Collision at the Ghidigeni level crossing
On Thursday, 1 October 2026, a passenger train operating on the railway route from București Nord to Iași collided directly with a transport utility van at a level crossing in northern Galați County. The impact took place near the locality of Ghidigeni, situated a few kilometres from the municipality of Bârlad in neighbouring Vaslui County. The transport vehicle was completely destroyed by the force of the collision. Four occupants were inside the vehicle at the time of the crash, including a 12-year-old child, two women, and one adult male driver. All four individuals were residents of Ghidigeni and members of the same family. The vehicle was registered in Galați County and was travelling back from a trip to Bârlad when it crossed the railway lines.
Emergency deployment and victim recovery
The Inspectorate for Emergency Situations (ISU) Galați and the Galați County Police Inspectorate mobilised multiple emergency rescue teams to the site of the crash. Responders deployed one fire extinguishing truck, one specialised extrication module, one type-B1 SMURD emergency ambulance, and one crew from the Galați County Ambulance Service. Military firefighters executed complex extrication manoeuvres to free the four occupants trapped inside the crushed metal structure of the van.
ISU Galați released details regarding the initial dispatch to the crossing.
A road accident occurred in the locality of Ghidigeni at a railway crossing, where a passenger train hit a transport van.
Medical personnel on the scene conducted examinations and determined that none of the four passengers could be revived due to the severity of their injuries. Authorities identified the casualties as the male driver, his daughter, his daughter-in-law, and his 12-year-old granddaughter.
Unfortunately, all of them are deceased. Intervention at the scene involves 1 fire engine, 1 extrication unit, 1 type-B SMURD ambulance, and 1 SAJ ambulance.
- Adult women
- 2 people
- Adult men
- 1 people
- Children
- 1 people
Infrastructure and police investigation
The Galați Traffic Police initiated an extensive on-site investigation to clarify the sequence of events and opened a criminal file for manslaughter. Initial assessments by investigating officers indicated that the driver drove onto the crossing without properly checking the tracks for incoming rail traffic. The crossing at the junction between County Road DJ 240 and Railway Section 600 does not possess physical crossing barriers. The site is equipped with automatic acoustic and light signaling devices, which were active as the passenger train approached.
Rail corridor suspension and clearance
The collision brought railway movement to a complete standstill along Railway Section 600 in the area surrounding Gara Ghidigeni. The Infotrafic Centre of the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Police confirmed that train circulation between Bucharest and Iași was halted at the DJ 240 intersection. Emergency crews and technical railway personnel maintained a security perimeter while conducting evidence collection and track clearance. Police officials announced that railway traffic on the affected corridor was scheduled to resume after 19:00 local time.
