Many of the deadliest train accidents in history occurred in the
early 20th and 21st centuries. The causes behind most of these disasters could
be attributed to brake failures, derailments, or accidental fires.

Take a look at these 5 deadly train accidents:

Bihar derailment,
India:

A train accident in Bihar, India, resulted in the death of approximately 800 people. It happened in June 1981 when the passenger train, crossing a bridge over the Bagmati river near the city of Mansi, was hit by a cyclone.

The train was derailed and plunged into
the river causing the deaths of hundreds of people. The train was carrying
approximately 1,000 passengers at the time of the accident. The train is also
believed to have suffered brake failure during the disaster.

Also read: Deadliest metro accidents around the world since 1975

Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne,
France:

The Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailment in France saw more than 700 people die and remains the greatest rail disaster in French
history.

The accident occurred in December 1917 when a heavily loaded 350m long
train derailed after suffering brake failure just before
Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne station. The train caught fire while descending into
a valley after departing from Modane station.

Approximately 1,000 French troops from the Italian front
were returning home in two trains, the 526t train had 19 cars and was running
at excessive speeds at the time of the accident.

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Guadalajara accident,
Mexico:

The Guadalajara train accident in Mexico left 600 dead. The disaster occurred in January 1915 due to a brake
failure.

The train derailed and plummeted into a canyon near Guadalajara causing the death of many
people. Approximately 300 people survived the accident.

Also read: Driver leaves cockpit for toilet break as bullet train in Japan cruises at 150 km/h

Ufa train disaster,
Russia:

The Ufa train disaster, which occurred in June 1989 near the
city of Ufa in the Soviet Union, saw a death toll of 575 people and
remains to be the deadliest railway disaster in Russian and Soviet history.

The disaster occurred due to a highly flammable cloud
created by the liquefied gas spill from a burst pipeline near the railway line,
where two passenger trains were passing each other between Ufa and Asha.

The
trains were carrying a total of approximately 1,300 passengers at the time of
the accident. The accident caused injuries to more than 800 people.

Also read: 20 dead, dozens hurt as elevated metro collapses in Mexico

Al Ayyat train
disaster, Egypt:

The train disaster occurred near Al Ayyat, 46 miles away
from Cairo, Egypt, in February 2002 causing the death of 383 people. The
passenger train travelling between Cairo and Luxor was overloaded with people
in its 11 carriages.

A cooking gas cylinder explosion in the fifth carriage
creating a fire that spread to seven carriages.

The burning train traveled for four miles due to lack of
communication between the driver and the rear carriages and finally stopped
near Al-Ayyat. Many of the passengers that jumped from the train did not
survive.