More than 100 people were injured when carriages detached from a train on a busy commuter line in China’s capital on Thursday evening, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport.
Initial investigations have revealed that the train came to an emergency stop after a signal downgrade. The sloping terrain caused the carriages to slip on the icy rails and collide into each other, the commission said on Friday.
As of Friday morning, 67 people had been hospitalised, while 25 remained under observation. A total of 515 people were sent to hospital, 102 with bone fractures, said the commission, adding that 423 had been sent home.
The Changping line was back in operation on Friday, with shuttle buses running between Xierqi and Zhuxinzhuang stations, where the malfunction happened, according to a Beijing Subway statement.
“Most of the line will operate as usual on Friday and passengers will be able to change to Line 8 and Line 13 to travel to the central part of the city,” the subway authorities said.
Fewer trains will also be operating, and at slower speeds, to ensure safety while the severe weather continued, the statement added.
Northern China has been hit with a heavy snowstorm in recent days, with residents in the Chinese capital advised to stay indoors amid warnings of heavy snow. School and outdoor entertainment facilities are closed.
The accident on the Changping line – which serves the city’s northern region, including the hi-tech hub of Xierqi and the Ming Tombs – happened at about 7pm. Videos posted online by passengers showed a stranded carriage crowded with people.
“My train broke in two,” was a common comment accompanying the images, which also showed passengers climbing out of the carriage to continue their journey on foot along the icy roads.
One passenger told the Economic Observer that he felt a sudden jolt, before the lights in the carriage went out. Some people had fallen over and multiple glass panes were broken, the commuter said.
There were also reports of fractures, as well as eye and head injuries. One elderly passenger is said to have had breathing difficulties, while other passengers shattered a window to let fresh air into the carriage.
Xierqi station – one of 18 stops on the line – was closed after the accident, with evacuation and rescue teams sent to the scene, Beijing Subway said on social media platform Weibo on Thursday evening.
The subway authorities said the conductor rail had lost electricity on part of the line, leading to sudden stoppages for some trains and delays to others. The cause of the power failure is not yet known.
Beijing party secretary Yin Li and the city’s mayor Ying Yong inspected the scene of the accident and also checked on the subway’s operations and emergency plans.
Yin also visited the injured passengers at Jishuitan Hospital, as well as the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, to inspect transport across the city. He stressed that train and bus services should be increased, to make sure people could get home in the extreme weather.
Beijing Subway apologised on Weibo at close to midnight, and said passengers who had left on their own during the evacuation could contact the authorities if they felt discomfort, and their medical expenses would be reimbursed.
The 40km (25 miles) Changping line was built in 2009 as a suburban railway, but has become a crowded and crucial link, especially since large internet companies started setting up their offices near Xierqi.
