THAILAND: Crane falls on train, 32 dead

International

AT LEAST 32 people were killed and dozens more injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in northeastern Thailand on Tuesday, Jan 13.

The crane struck the train, causing several carriages to derail and crushing parts of the coaches. One of the affected cars caught fire following the impact, compounding the chaos as passengers scrambled to escape.

Officials said the train was carrying about 171 passengers at the time of the incident. At least 66 people were injured, including a one-year-old child and an 85-year-old passenger, with seven victims reported to be in critical condition, a report by BBC said.

The train had been en route from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province and was largely occupied by students and workers traveling to schools and workplaces in other districts.

Rescue teams and emergency personnel rushed to the site to pull survivors from the wreckage.

Initial reports indicated that the crane was in the process of lifting a large concrete component when it suddenly failed. The heavy structure dropped onto the train, triggering the derailment and extensive damage to multiple coaches.

A train staff member who survived the crash told local media that passengers were violently thrown into the air when the crane came down. He described scenes of panic and confusion as people tried to help one another amid smoke and debris.

Thai State Railways said it is preparing legal action against the construction firm responsible for the crane operation. Authorities are also investigating whether safety protocols were followed at the construction site near the railway line.

The Italian-Thai Development Company, which was identified as being involved in the project, expressed regret over the incident and said it would provide compensation to the families of those who died as well as to the injured passengers.(Victoria Diana, USJ-R Comm Intern)