Train smash kills at least 40 in northern India

An express train slammed into a parked freight train in northern India, killing at least 40 people and reducing cars to a heap of torn and twisted metal, officials said.

The Gorakhpur Express passenger train was travelling at high speed and slammed on its brakes in an attempt to stop, but smashed into the train sitting on the tracks near a railway station in Uttar Pradesh state, district magistrate Bharat Lal said.

Six of the cars on the express train derailed, with one car for unreserved general seating taking the brunt of the impact and containing most of the 40 casualties so far counted, senior police officer Amrendra Sainger said.