Millipedes Cause Train Crash In Australia

Thousands of millipedes may have been the cause of a train crash in Australia. That’s right, millipedes.

Authorities are currently investigating to see what caused two trains to crash near Perth, Australia this morning. The lead suspect at the moment is the millipede.

A spokeswoman from the the Perth Transport Authority said: “It is one possible cause among many – but it is very unusual.”

Surprisingly, this isn’t the first time that millipedes have been blamed for a train crash. The Australian reports that the insects may have been responsible for a train crash last year.

The PTA said that an infestation of Portuguese millipedes was found on the tracks in Rockingham and Kwinana. The tracks became extremely slippery after a passing train crushed the bugs and may have cause the brakes to become ineffective.

A similar problem occurred in 2009 at Tallarook in central Victoria. Several trains had to be cancelled as authorities sprayed the tracks with insecticide.

The train crash today in Perth involved a stationary passenger train and an empty train. The stationary train was waiting at the station as passengers boarded when it was hit by an incoming train. PTA spokesman David Hynes said that the train may have not been able to stop due to a slippery section of tracks.

Hynes said that he was thankful that the crash occurred at low speed and didn’t result in any serious injuries.

Hynes said: “It was a bit of a bump and a jar. It’s not 100 miles an hour and bodies everywhere.”