An incident in the center of Sofia calls into question the condition of the tram infrastructure. A piece of metal from the rails pierced a moving car at the intersection at "Pette Kyosheta". Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident, and the damage was only material, reports bTV.
The incident took place on Monday morning, when Ivan Dimitrov was traveling to work on his usual route - from "Hristo Botev" Blvd. to "Gen. Skobelev" Blvd. When crossing the rails, he heard a loud bang.
„A loud crash that startled me, then the clatter of iron on the asphalt. I pulled over and saw that a broken piece of the tram line was stuck in the car's body," says Dimitrov.
According to him, the metal element pierced the lower part of the car and caused serious material damage.
A reporter's inspection shows that the route along "Hristo Botev" Blvd. is among the most compromised in the capital. "Stolich Elektrotransport" indicates that a major repair of the rails has not been done for more than 30 years.
The danger does not go unnoticed by other citizens. Krasimir Dochev, who passes through the same intersection, sees a broken metal element between the rails and decides to remove it.
„Perfect for cutting tires. "I heard a car hit it and I decided to remove it," he says.
The Sofia Municipality said that a project for the complete reconstruction of "Hristo Botev" Blvd. is being prepared. The plans include renovation of the tram route, roadways, sidewalks and street lighting in the section from "Praga" Blvd. to "Slivnitsa" Blvd. "The project is in an advanced phase," the municipality says.
During the derailment, the tram hit several people on the street. One of them ended up under the vehicle and died.
After the incident, Ivan Dimitrov filed a report with the Sofia Municipality, but there has been no official response at the moment.
The case once again raises the question of the state of the city infrastructure in Sofia and the risks it poses for drivers and pedestrians - especially at some of the busiest intersections in the capital.