Two train drivers sentenced to imprisonment over 2016 Hitrino train blast

The District Court in the Bulgarian town of Shoumen on January 22 imposed prison sentences to the two drivers of the cargo train that derailed in the village of Hitrino in December 2016, leaving 7 people dead and many injured in a massive gas explosion.

The court sentenced train driver Dimitar Mihnev to 15 years of imprisonment.

Assistant train driver Radoslav Petkov was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

In their final statement to the court, the drivers asked to be justified and said they regretted the consequences of the derailing of the train.

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Seven people were killed and 29 injured after a cargo train carrying tanks of polypropylene and propane-butane derailed and exploded in the village of Hitrino, North-East Bulgaria, on 10th of December, 2016.

The explosion swept though houses and buildings in the area. Search-and rescue dogs from the mountain rescue services took part in finding people under the collapsed buildings.

The explosion destroyed 26 houses and public buildings, including the municipal office and the Hitrino railway station building.