A routine track inspection in China’s Yunnan province turned fatal early Thursday when a test train struck a group of railway workers at Louyangzhen station in Kunming. Eleven members of the maintenance team died at the scene, while two others suffered injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment, according to reports from state-run Xinhua and China Railway Kunming Group Co. Ltd.
Officials said the test train, which was being used for seismic equipment trials, entered a curved portion of the track where the crew had been carrying out checks. The impact was severe, leaving no time for workers to escape. Rail services at the station have since restarted, but authorities say a complete explanation will only emerge after investigators finish examining technical data and site evidence.
Emergency responders, including railway personnel and local authorities, were immediately deployed. Xinhua reported, “After the accident, the railway authorities immediately activated the emergency response plan and, together with the local. government, organised rescue efforts and medical treatment for the injured.”
China Rail Tragedy and Hong Kong Fire Highlight Safety Concerns
China operates one of the world’s most extensive rail networks, yet fatal accidents, though less common today, still occur. A derailment in Guizhou province in 2022 killed a conductor and injured eight passengers after the train collided with landslide debris. Earlier tragedies include the 2011 Wenzhou high-speed train collision that claimed 40 lives and injured nearly 200 more.
The railway incident coincided with a catastrophic fire in Hong Kong, where 55 people died after flames engulfed several residential towers. Over 200 residents remain unaccounted for, and dozens are hospitalised some in critical condition. Authorities have arrested three men on suspicion of manslaughter, and preliminary findings suggest that materials used in external coverings of the buildings may not have met fire-safety standards.
In Yunnan, investigators continue to analyse the circumstances that led to Thursday’s collision. Medical teams are monitoring the two survivors, and rail authorities have assured the public that operations at Louyangzhen station have stabilised.
