The Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailment of December 12, 1917, was a railway accident involving a troop train carrying at least 1,000 French soldiers on their way home for leave from the Italian front in World War I. A derailment as the train descended the Maurienne valley on the Culoz–Modane railway caused a catastrophic crash and subsequent fire in which more than 435 died ; a second record reports that 675 died. It is France's deadliest rail accident to date, and is the third largest rail disaster in world history by death toll.
Why this event still matters
Historical incidents shape the rules that protect people today — building codes, evacuation policy, warning systems and inspection regimes almost always trace back to a specific disaster. Studying Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne derailment alongside current events is how preparedness improves.
See what is happening right now on the live world incident map, browse every train accidents we track on the Rail Accident tracker, or follow live incidents in France.