Seven wagons of a freight train derailed on the morning of 30 October 2026 in Ruse, on Bulgaria’s Danube bank opposite Giurgiu. The consist was carrying ammonium nitrate; about 20 kilograms of white granular material spilled onto the ground, Adevărul reports from Ruse media and local police.

The incident occurred near the locomotive and wagon repair complex (LVZ) in Ruse. Officers found two spill patches and took samples of the substance and nearby soil to check for contamination. No casualties were reported.

Regional police spokesperson Daniela Malcheva confirmed the derailment and partial cargo spill to BTA. A pre-trial probe was opened at Ruse’s second district police station. The cause of the derailment has not been stated.

A specialised crane was brought in to lift the wagons and work began. Bulgarian media note that tank cars in the consist were empty. Ammonium nitrate is used as fertiliser; authorities have not announced a public danger, though the chemical requires careful handling.

Ruse sits a few kilometres from the Romanian border; the event remains a local rail-industrial incident with no announced cross-border impact. The inquiry must clarify how the derailment happened and whether loading or infrastructure faults played a role.

Image: freight rail transport in Bulgaria (Wikimedia Commons, CC0).

Sources consulted: Rail accident in Bulgaria near the Romanian border - Adevărul; Seven freight wagons derailed in Ruse - BTA.