Train was travelling at speed of 160km/h.

An investigation is underway after a train hit and killed five railway workers on tracks in the Turin area of northern Italy at around midnight on Wednesday 30 August.

Two other workers were injured in the incident which occurred at Brandizzo, about 20 km north-east of Turin, on the main Milan-Turin railway line.

The men were carrying out maintenance work on the tracks when the train carrying a dozen empty carriages sped through at 160km/h, reports state broadcaster RAI citing the carabinieri.

Drammatico intervento dei #vigilidelfuoco stanotte nel torinese per un incidente ferroviario nella stazione di Brandizzo: deceduti cinque operai travolti da un treno in transito, feriti altri due #Torino #31agosto

— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) August 31, 2023

The five victims, aged between 22 and 53 and all employees of the Sigifer company in Borgo Vercelli, died instantly.

The train stopped on the spot and the driver was in shock, ANSA news agency reports.

Italy’s train network infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) expressed “deep sorrow” following the incident and sent condolences to the families of the deceased workers.

Train services were suspended on the line on Thursday morning as the Ivrea prosecutor's office and the RFI attempt to reconstruct the dynamics of the tragedy.

Photo ANSA