Crane falls on moving train in Thailand; at least 19 killed, 80 injured

At least 19 people were killed and more than 80 injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday, news agency Reuters reported.

 

The crane was part of work on an elevated high-speed rail project and fell onto the train that was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province. The impact caused several coaches to derail and catch fire.

Rescue operations underway

“Nineteen bodies have been recovered, but there are still some inside the train carriages that cannot be removed yet because the crane started shifting, so the team pulled back for fear of danger,” Police Colonel Thatchapon Chinnawong told Reuters.

 

Citing local police, Al Jazeera reported that the fire had been extinguished and rescue operations were continuing at the site. Authorities said the death toll could rise, with some reports suggesting the number of fatalities may reach 22.

 

A total of 195 passengers were on board the train at the time of the accident. Most of the fatalities were reported from two of the three carriages that were struck by the crane.

 

According to Reuters, Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said he had ordered a thorough investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the crane collapse and assess safety lapses at the construction site.