A train collision at Wang Yen Railway Station in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, left numerous passengers injured, including a seven-year-old British girl.
The incident involved a six-carriage train carrying a large number of passengers that was struck by a locomotive on Saturday afternoon. The collision resulted in shattered windows and passengers being thrown from their seats. Authorities reported that 13 passengers were hospitalized, while 20 others sustained minor injuries. Among the injured were three British nationals, including the young girl. Nine passengers were transported to Phahol Pholpayuhasena Hospital, and four were taken to Thanakarn Hospital. According to Thairath Online, one passenger in an economy carriage suffered a skull fracture.
Describing the event, a tourist recounted to Khaosod English that passengers were tossed around inside the carriage upon impact. The witness mentioned that the train had nearly a hundred Thai and foreign tourists on board. The collision occurred as the train was stationary at Wang Yen Station for a scheduled locomotive swap, which typically takes around 20 minutes. The sudden impact caused chaos in the carriages, with passengers hitting their heads against windows and falling to the floor.
Authorities from the Mueang Kanchanaburi Police Station stated that the train had halted at Wang Yen for a routine locomotive change around 5 pm.
Investigations revealed that the brake malfunction of the shunter locomotive, used for moving train carriages within the station during locomotive changes, led to the crash. The malfunction caused the locomotive to reverse uncontrollably, resulting in a collision with the stationary carriages, as per the Thai Examiner. A replacement locomotive was dispatched to tow the carriages back to Kanchanaburi Station, with some passengers still onboard but unharmed.
In response to the incident, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) organized a bus to transport 70 passengers to Kanchanaburi Station and the River Kwai Bridge at 7:05 pm. SRT issued an apology for the mishap and announced that engineers would conduct a thorough inspection of the locomotive’s mechanical systems.
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