Argentine minister rules out technical issue being cause of train crash

Argentine Transportation Minister Florencio Randazzo has ruled out technical problem being the cause of a train crash Saturday morning here, in which at least 99 people were injured, some seriously. At a press conference, Randazzo said the train known as "Chapa 5" had had an integral mechanical inspection that checks the break system, compression, bumper and general maintenance. The driver Julio Benitez had tested negative for alcohol before his work shift and Benitez did not communicate with the control tower to warn of any failures, the minister added. He also said the railway of the station where the accident occurred was also inspected Friday night. But he said the train "traveled at a speed of 22 km per hour (kph)," higher than the regulated 12 kph in this section. The driver was also injured and was taken into custody. The accident occurred at 7:35 a.m. local time (1035 GMT) when a commuter train hit containment fences at the Once train station in the Balvanera neighborhood, where 51 people were killed and 700 others injured in February 2012.