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Mass Carbon Monoxide Poisoning on a Train in Italy, March 1944. History Reconstructed

Mass Carbon Monoxide Poisoning on a Train in Italy, March 1944. History Reconstructed

RUNNING HEAD: MASS CO POISONING ON A TRAIN

ABSTRACT

World War II was approaching its end in Italy in 1944 when one of the worst train disasters in world history occurred near the small town of Balvano in the Apennine Mountains.  The train did not derail or crash into something as in most major train disasters.  Instead, it entered a mountainous railway tunnel, and when it emerged, over 500 passengers were dead from carbon monoxide poisoning.  The event was not allowed to be publicized for almost two decades.  This manuscript reconstructs the story of possibly the most significant incident of carbon monoxide mortality ever recorded.

Keywords: carbon monoxide; death; poisoning 

Key Points: This paper reconstructs the details of what is probably the largest mass fatal carbon monoxide poisoning event in history. It occurred aboard a train in Italy during World War II and was kept secret for two decades.

 

DOI:10.22462/691