Ghidigeni Railway Collision: Four Family Members Die After Train Hits Van in Romania

A tragic railway collision in Ghidigeni, Galați County, Romania, claimed the lives of four members of the same family on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
The accident happened at a level crossing near the intersection with DJ 240. A passenger train traveling on the Bucharest North to Iași route collided with a van carrying four people. AGERPRES
According to information released by the Galați County Police Inspectorate, the van was being driven by a 26-year-old woman from Ghidigeni. Police said initial investigations indicated she entered the railway crossing while the acoustic and visual warning signals were operating.
The train then struck the vehicle.
The collision killed everyone inside the van. The victims were identified as the 26-year-old driver, a 64-year-old man, a 45-year-old woman and a 7-year-old girl. Authorities said the four victims were relatives. AGERPRES
Emergency crews were dispatched to the scene shortly after the crash. The response included a firefighting vehicle, a rescue vehicle for extracting victims, a SMURD ambulance and an ambulance from the county emergency medical service. AGERPRES
The railway crossing did not have physical barriers, but it was equipped with functioning acoustic and visual warning signals, according to reports citing authorities. Observator News
Rail traffic in the affected area was temporarily stopped following the collision as emergency responders and investigators worked at the scene. Observator News
Police opened a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. The case is being investigated as a potential negligent homicide matter, with authorities working to establish the precise sequence of events that led to the collision. AGERPRES
The tragedy has drawn attention in Romania because all four people traveling in the van belonged to the same family, including the young girl.
Reports published shortly after the crash initially gave the child's age as 12. Later official information from Romanian police, carried by AGERPRES and other Romanian outlets, identified the child as 7 years old. AGERPRES
Authorities have not indicated that the investigation is complete, and the circumstances surrounding the crossing remain under examination.