At least 28 people have been confirmed dead and dozens injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province on Wednesday, authorities said.
Diaspora Digital Media gathered that the accident occurred at a construction site linked to a China-backed high-speed rail project when a large crane fell onto an existing railway line, striking a train travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani.
The impact caused the train to derail and catch fire, leaving several carriages severely damaged.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health said 64 injured passengers were taken to hospital, with seven reported to be in serious condition.
Rescue teams worked through the wreckage to extract trapped passengers, briefly suspending operations due to reports of chemical leakage at the site.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said there were 195 passengers on board the train at the time of the incident, adding that authorities were working to identify the deceased.
Eyewitnesses described hearing a loud noise followed by explosions before discovering that the crane had crashed onto the train, cutting through one of the carriages.
The crane was part of a multi-billion-dollar high-speed rail project intended to connect Bangkok with China’s Kunming city through Laos under China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Engineering officials involved in the project said the Thai construction firm handling the section where the collapse occurred was responsible for the crane and its operation.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an investigation into the cause of the collapse and called for accountability, noting that similar construction-related accidents have occurred in the past.
He also suggested stricter measures against companies repeatedly linked to safety violations.
China’s foreign ministry said it was monitoring the situation closely and expressed condolences to the families of the victims, noting that the construction section involved was being handled by a Thai company.
Industrial and construction accidents are relatively common in Thailand, where safety enforcement has been criticised as inadequate. Authorities said investigations into the incident are ongoing.