San Miguel: One of the locomotives had the brakes locked

BUENOS AIRES Province, February 17, 2011.- Federal judge in San Martín Juan Manuel Yalj said the train crash in San Miguel that left four people dead, took place because of human error, although the judge explained the train engine brakes of Ferrobaires company were “invalidated “, one with nails and the other one with a padlock.

“At first glance, the signals were working correctly. We cannot explain yet what happened. Unless the skills we have to make to the machine’s braking system give us an opposite view, at first glance it would seem that we are dealing with human error,” Yalj said on the radio.

Meanwhile, the drivers, identified as Sergio Balbi and Pablo Raviola were arrested and held incommunicado under charges of manslaughter. Judicial sources said that tomorrow they would be giving statement before the judge.

Eduardo Montenegro, spokesman for the Railway Operational Management Unit (UGOFE), which groups the concessionaires in charge of the train service, said “service is provided on the conditions under which it can.”

“If a rail service doubles the volume of passengers, it means that there is a steady demand so great,” Montenegro said.