Testigos apuntan al guarda por el accidente del tren en Mariano Acosta

On July 25, 2017, a train collision with a line 503 bus in Mariano Acosta, Merlo, resulted in two deaths and 14 injuries, according to reports from the local volunteer firefighters.

Witnesses at the scene reported that the bus attempted to cross the tracks while the safety barrier was still raised. A transit driver with three decades of experience stated that the train struck the rear of the bus as it was finishing its crossing, attributing the collision to negligence. Emergency response times were also criticized by those present, who reported that ambulances took more than 20 minutes to arrive.

The local health secretary, Miguel Murrone, reported that six of the injured passengers were taken to Eva Perón Hospital and three to Héroes de Malvinas Hospital. A 34-year-old female passenger who had been transported to Eva Perón Hospital with severe injuries died at approximately 7:00 a.m.

The investigation quickly focused on the actions of the railway crossing guard. Marcelo Orfila, the president of the state-run railway operator Trenes Argentinos, stated that the employee had acknowledged three separate warnings shortly before the collision, including a buzzer signal and a phone call. Prosecutor María Corfield confirmed that the railway employee was being held at a local police station as a suspect, though he had not yet given a formal statement.