A catastrophic accident unfolded in Thailand's Sikhio district on Wednesday morning when a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train, causing it to derail and sparking a brief fire. At least 19 people were killed, and dozens more injured in the incident, which has prompted an urgent investigation into safety protocols at the site of an ongoing high-speed rail project.
The State Railway of Thailand's Express Train No. 21, en route from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani in the northeast with approximately 195-200 passengers aboard, was struck around 9:05 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) as it passed under a bridge construction zone in Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 km (143 miles) northeast of the capital. The crane, which was lifting a section of the bridge as part of Thailand's high-speed rail expansion, toppled across the tracks, crushing three carriages and derailing several others.
Initial reports from rescue officials indicate 19-22 fatalities, primarily among passengers in the impacted carriages, with 30-80 others sustaining injuries ranging from minor to severe. Some victims were trapped in the mangled wreckage, requiring heavy machinery for extraction. A fire erupted in at least one carriage but was quickly extinguished by responding firefighters. Emergency teams, including medical personnel and police, rushed to the scene, evacuating survivors and transporting the injured to nearby hospitals.
