At least 49 people were killed and more than 550 others were injured on Wednesday morning in Buenos Aires, Argentina when a train crashed and derailed in the middle of rush hour at Once station, center of the city.

The accident occurred just after 8.30 a.m. local time (11:30 GMT) and the first reports stated that the train, which was unable to stop due to faulty brakes, crashed into the platform and derailed.

Federal Police spokesman Nestor Rodriguez told the press that " there are 49 people dead, one of them under 18 years old."

Injured passengers, many of them trapped in the train for hours, were being taken to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.

Transport Secretary Juan Schiavi was present at the scene and described the accident as "terrible."

Alberto Crescenti, head of the SAME emergency services, said that the amount of people injured had increased to "at least 550."

"I flew more than 15 meters," said one of the victims to the local press.

Once station is located in Plaza Miserere, heart of Buenos Aires.

The Sarmiento train line connects Once station with Moreno, west greater Buenos Aires.

(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2012)