11 dead as test train ploughs into railway workers in China’s Yunnan

Yunnan (China):  A test train crashed into a group of railway workers in China’s southwestern Yunnan province early Thursday (local time), killing 11 people and injuring two others, according to state media.

The incident occurred when Test Train No. 55537, which was being used to check seismic equipment, collided with construction workers who had entered the track on a curve at Luoyangzhen Station in Kunming, the provincial capital.

State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported that railway and local authorities immediately launched an emergency response, deploying rescue teams and initiating relief operations.

Station activities were restored within hours, and the injured workers were taken to a hospital for treatment.

In a social media post, Kunming’s railway authority expressed condolences to the victims and their families, stating that the cause of the accident is under investigation.

The railway authorities said that those responsible persons will be held accountable in accordance with laws and regulations. They said that they will draw lessons from the accident and make every effort to ensure the safety and stability of railway transportation, according to local media reports.

CCTV noted that the emergency protocols were activated by both the local railway bureau and the Kunming city government immediately after the crash.

Rescue teams were deployed swiftly, and station operations were restored by midday. The injured workers are undergoing medical care, while officials stated that services at the station have returned to normal, local media reports suggest.

Authorities added that a formal inquiry is underway to determine the exact cause and sequence of events that led to the fatal crash.

Further details are awaited.

–IANS