Line 9 tram derails in central Milan, slams into building; one to two killed, dozens hurt

A tram on Milan's Line 9 derailed on Viale Vittorio Veneto in the city's centre around 16:00, veered off at a track switch, nearly flipped and slammed into a building, killing at least one person and wounding dozens, officials, medical staff and witnesses said.

Video broadcast by Sky TG24 captured the vehicle tipping as it took a curve and then striking a shopfront and the building facade. Passers-by and people on board were hit as the tram left its route toward Porta Genova, witnesses said. A man who was on board described the moment: "I thought it was an earthquake. I was sitting down and I fell on the floor, along with the other passengers." Anna, 27, who was working nearby, said, "I just heard an enormous bang. I saw a bit of the tram had gone into a shop."

Authorities and emergency services provided differing counts in the chaotic hours after the crash. Milan's mayor, Beppe Sala, said the driver would be questioned from hospital and suggested human error may have been a factor, indicating the driver apparently failed to switch tracks to keep the tram going straight and that he had been on duty for only about an hour. The mayor was also reported to have said two people had died, one a passenger and one on the street, and that other injuries were not life threatening.

Emergency responders on scene gave different figures. The city's fire brigade reported 38 injured, and medical personnel at the scene said one of those was in critical condition, six were serious and the remainder suffered minor injuries. Other on-scene witnesses and responders reported totals ranging from at least 20 injured to as many as 39. Civil protection teams set up a tent to triage victims, and crews escorted passengers wrapped in thermal blankets from the wreckage.

Rescue units converged on the busy avenue. Firefighters, ambulances and police vehicles attended; counts of resources deployed vary from five ambulances and 25 firefighters to descriptions of dozens of emergency vehicles. Rescuers initially reported someone trapped under the tram but later said no one remained beneath the vehicle.

The tram runs through a dense commercial and financial district of Milan, which was hosting seasonal fashion events at the time. The crash has reopened questions about urban transit safety in high-traffic central streets. The city's transport operator, ATM, had no immediate comment on the incident while investigators and emergency services continued recovery and rescue work.

Investigators are expected to examine whether a track switch, vehicle speed, mechanical failure or operator error caused the derailment. Authorities said the driver was receiving medical treatment and would be questioned from hospital. Hospitals receiving victims, the prefecture and the municipal emergency coordination unit must reconcile casualty figures and publish consolidated tallies.

Photographs and video from the scene show extensive damage to the tram and storefronts. Milanese residents and commuters were left shaken by an accident that disrupted a central artery of the city and prompted urgent scrutiny of tram operations in dense urban corridors.