At least 32 people have died and 64 others were injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in northeastern Thailand, triggering a major rail disaster near the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province.
What happened
The passenger train was travelling from Bangkok to Thailand’s northeast when the accident occurred around 9 am local time. A crane being used for construction work on a high-speed rail project suddenly collapsed onto the moving train, causing it to derail and catch fire.
Thai authorities confirmed that 195 passengers were on board at the time of the incident. The last two of the train’s three carriages suffered the most severe damage, with visuals showing one carriage split apart and lying on its side amid debris and smoke.
Rescue operations disrupted
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn ordered an immediate investigation into the incident. However, rescue operations were later paused after officials detected a chemical leak at the site, according to Sikhio district police chief Thatchapon Chinnawong.
Emergency responders were seen working through twisted metal as smoke billowed from the wreckage. Police said several bodies were still trapped inside the damaged carriages.
High-speed rail project under scrutiny
The crane was part of construction work for Thailand’s ambitious high-speed rail network, linked to China-backed regional connectivity projects under the Belt and Road Initiative. Officials confirmed that the fire caused by the derailment was later brought under control.
A local resident described hearing a loud crash followed by two explosions before rushing to the scene and finding the crane resting on the train.
Earlier warning signs
The tragedy has revived safety concerns around the project. In August 2024, a tunnel collapse on the same rail route in Nakhon Ratchasima killed three construction workers, raising questions about oversight and construction safety standards.