A crane falls on a passenger train in Thailand. 28 killed and dozens injured

At least 28 people were killed and dozens injured after a crane collapsed on a commuter train in Thailand on Wednesday, local authorities said.

The crane was being used at the construction site of a huge Chinese-backed railway project, and its fall caused a passenger train heading between the capital, Bangkok, and the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani to derail.

At approximately nine o’clock in the morning (02:00 GMT), Miter Interpanya, a resident of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeast of Bangkok, heard “a huge bang, followed by two explosions.”

“When I went to see what happened, I found the crane on a three-car passenger train,” the 54-year-old said. “The metal of the crane seemed to have split the second car in half.”

Pictures broadcast by local media showed rescue personnel rushing towards the train lying on its side while smoke rose from its wreckage.

The Ministry of Health announced in a statement that 28 people were killed and 64 others were transferred to hospitals for treatment following the incident, including seven in critical condition.

Local authorities said in a statement, “A crane collapsed on a train, causing it to derail and catch fire.”

Thai Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said that 195 people were on board the train, which was traveling between the capital, Bangkok, and Ubon Ratchathani province. He called on the authorities to investigate the cause of the accident.

The local police announced the temporary suspension of rescue operations due to a “leakage of chemicals,” without specifying its source.

The crane was part of a huge construction project that began in 2017, ten years behind schedule, to launch the first high-speed railway line in Thailand.

This $5.4 billion project aims to connect Bangkok to Kunming in southern China, via Laos, by 2028.

China is backing the project as part of its Belt and Road Initiative designed to improve its global trade and enhance its influence in Southeast Asia.

To prevent this line from increasing Thailand’s dependence on Beijing at the expense of its good relations with the United States, Thailand insisted on covering the entire cost.