Versailles rail accident: derailment and fire kills at least 55 (1842)

On 8 May 1842, a train traveling from Versailles to Paris derailed in a cutting between Meudon and Bellevue stations after a locomotive axle broke. The carriages piled into the wreck and caught fire, killing between 52 and 200 people. The disaster, the first French railway accident, prompted the French to abandon locking passengers in carriages.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Public celebrations for King Louis Philippe I's saint's day in Versailles concluded on the afternoon of 8 May 1842. Many attendees wished to return to Paris, leading to a crowded train departing from the Rive Gauche Versailles station at 5:30 pm. The train, consisting of 16 to 18 carriages, carried 770 passengers.

Derailment and Fire. While traveling between Bellevue and Meudon, the leading locomotive's axle snapped, causing it to derail. The subsequent locomotive and carriages piled into the derailed engine, scattering fire-box contents. The carriages caught fire, trapping passengers who were locked inside their compartments.

Consequences. The accident resulted in between 52 and 200 deaths, including explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville. It was the first French railway disaster and the deadliest in the world at that time. The incident led to the abandonment of locking passengers in carriages and recommendations for axle testing.

People involved

Sources

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