Presentation of the Evaluation Report on the Voorschoten Train Incident

On the night of Tuesday, April 4, 2023, a serious incident occurred on the railroad tracks near the Voorschoten station at around 3:25 a.m. One person was killed and approximately 30 people were injured, some of them (very) seriously.

The Hollands Midden Safety Region is a learning organization and has therefore, in consultation with the municipality of Voorschoten, commissioned an external evaluation of the crisis management organization’s performance during the train incident. This evaluation was conducted by the Crisis Management Research Group at the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV) and the Crisisplan agency.

On Thursday, October 12, Mr. Menno van Duin, professor of crisis management at the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV), presented the evaluation report to the deputy chair of the Hollands Midden Safety Region, Mr. Peter van der Velden, and the mayor of Voorschoten, Ms. Nadine Stemerdink.

Humanity

“The train accident has had an incredibly profound impact on all of us—from the passengers and their loved ones to local residents, emergency responders from the surrounding regions, the organizations involved, and municipal employees,” says Mayor Nadine Stemerdink. “The death of crane operator Martin is particularly tragic. But at the same time, I’ve been deeply moved by the compassion we’ve shown here in Voorschoten. Many thanks to everyone who played a role. I’m proud that we can count on each other when needed, even in the middle of the night, as this review confirms.”

Lessons for the Crisis Management Team

The purpose of the evaluation is to identify lessons learned for the further development of the crisis management organization. This investigation does not examine the cause of the train incident in detail. The investigation into the cause is being conducted by, among others, the Dutch Safety Board and the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT).

The main conclusion of the evaluation is that the crisis management team functioned effectively and that the emergency services responded quickly and appropriately. There are lessons to be learned from every incident and crisis. The recommendations outlined in the evaluation will be addressed by the Hollands Midden Safety Region, the municipality of Voorschoten, and the relevant emergency and other services.

View the report on the Hollands Midden Safety Region website