Residents help victims after a construction crane collapses onto a moving train in Thailand

BBC
BBC
11h ago
Residents in Ban Thanon Khot, Thailand, described helping victims when a construction crane collapsed onto a moving train, killing at least 32 people and injuring 66 others.
Residents help victims after a construction crane collapses onto a moving train in Thailand
A What happened
A construction crane collapsed onto a moving train in Ban Thanon Khot, Thailand, killing at least 32 people and injuring 66 others, with three people reported missing. Local residents described hearing a loud crash, seeing the crane flip over, and helping injured passengers as rescuers pulled bodies from crushed carriages and dealt with a fire. Authorities said most victims were students and workers travelling for school and work, and that a one-year-old and an 85-year-old were among those injured, with seven people in critical condition. The prime minister called for an investigation, and the State Railway of Thailand said it is suing the Italian-Thai Development Company, which was in charge of the railway section where the incident occurred.

Key insights

  • 1

    Natural causes were argued to be unlikely: Engineering professor Amorn Pimanmas said the absence of storms, flooding, and significant vibration meant natural causes could almost entirely be ruled out.

  • 2

    Weak safety enforcement was linked to deadly construction accidents: Deadly construction accidents were attributed in part to weak enforcement of safety standards and regulations.

Takeaways

The crash left dozens dead and injured, prompted an investigation call, and led the State Railway of Thailand to pursue legal action against the contractor for the affected railway section.

Topics

Investigations Law & Public Safety Public Safety Accidents & Fires

Read the full article on BBC

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