Versailles Rail Disaster 1842

In 1842, a celebratory train returning from the Palace of Versailles in France derailed when an axle broke, causing the cars to crash and catch fire. Early European railroads routinely locked passengers inside their train cars, a practice meant to prevent fare evasion and unsafe exiting of passengers from cars between stations.

This decision turned deadly: as flames engulfed the wreckage, passengers couldn't escape. The disaster killed up to 200 people. In its aftermath, France abandoned the practice of locking passengers in.

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