Cal Poly students hurt in Spain rail crash
Two students studying abroad were injured in a collision that killed at least 69 people near Madrid.
By Allison Singh ·
Leah Silver-Fajardo, a 21-year-old Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student, is hospitalized in Spain with multiple fractures and burns following a high-speed train collision.
Silver-Fajardo, a neuropsychology major from Seattle, suffered a broken knee, pelvis, femur, and several ribs, along with bruised lungs. Her aunt, Rachel Chernin, established a GoFundMe page to cover expenses while Silver-Fajardo recovers from knee surgery and awaits pelvic repair. She has been moved out of intensive care but faces a long period of rehabilitation.
The crash occurred on Oct. 28 near Urda, south of Madrid, when a moving high-speed train struck a stationary one. Spanish authorities reported at least 69 deaths and dozens of injuries. Of the deceased, 54 were Spanish nationals. Four Americans, one Canadian, and one each from France, Japan, Argentina, Mexico, Portugal, Tunisia, and the Czech Republic also died. Three bodies remained unidentified as of Monday, and two Australians and one Japanese person were still missing.
Cal Poly spokesman Matt Lazier confirmed that two university students were injured. The university is coordinating with the U.S. Embassy in Spain and reaching out to other students in Europe for support. Lazier stated the students are receiving medical care, though the university has not named the second student or detailed their condition.
Search teams with sniffer dogs continued examining the wreckage on Thursday. Cranes moved carriages that had been tossed down a gravel slope by the impact. Silver-Fajardo’s friends traveled from hospital to hospital to locate her. Her mother, Nicole Silver-Fajardo, reported on Monday that her daughter was immobilized and required assistance with basic care such as drinking water and eating.
Silver-Fajardo had been studying in Florence, Italy, this semester. Her parents and sister visited her for her birthday last month. The collision was the second major incident on the Madrid-Seville line this year. In January, a train derailed and struck another vehicle, killing 46 people. That investigation remains ongoing.
Silver-Fajardo’s family described her as active, noting she enjoys running, hiking, and soccer. Chernin said the physical recovery ahead would be challenging for her niece. The U.S. Embassy initially contacted the family without confirming survival. Friends later found her in a hospital and notified her parents.
Source: Los Angeles Times
