The construction crane collapsed on a speeding train in north-east Thailand, killing at least 32 people and injuring 66 others.
The train was derailed by the crane that trampled down some of its carriages, one of which burst into fire. Seven people in a critical state, one-year-old, and an 85-year-old are some of the injured, authorities report.
Authorities indicate that there were approximately 171 occupants on board the train when the incident happened at approximately 09: 00 local time (02: 00 in GMT).
The Thai state railways indicate that it is suing the construction firm that made the crane. The Italian-Thai Development Company showed remorse that it would pay compensation to the families of the killed and injured.
The train had been on its way from Bangkok to north-eastern Ubon Ratchathani province at the time of the accident. It was transporting predominantly school and employment-seeking students and workers heading elsewhere into other districts.
Local newspaper The Nation had published that the accident had taken place when the crane was moving a massive piece of concrete, which fell onto the train, derailing several coaches.
Survivor Thirasak Wongsoonner, a member of staff on the train, said to local media that the crane fell on them, throwing the other passengers and himself into the air.
One of the eyewitnesses, Maliwan Nakthon, informed BBC Thai about the circumstances under which the crane fell. It began to fall, and there were little bits, like bits of concrete, she said. “When those dropped, the crane was brought down and struck. Hard it struck and then it fell, and trampled on the train.”
“The entire affair lasted less than one minute,” she added.
The Thai Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, who is scheduled to visit the scene later on Wednesday, demanded that somebody be punished and held accountable for the incident, which is under investigation.
“Such accidents,” Anutin reasoned, “can only occur as a result of negligence, omissions in procedures, non-adherence to the design, or the use of wrong materials.”
The crane was constructing an overhead railway, which is part of a US $ 5.4bn (£4bn) China-funded initiative to connect Bangkok with its neighbouring Laos, where a Chinese-built high-speed line is already operating to south-western China.
The official name of the Bangkok-Nong Khai HSR Development is the Regional Connectivity of the Italian-Thai Development Company, and is the company that will oversee the Lam Takhong-Sikhio part where the incident occurred.
The State Railway of Thailand has declared that it is suing the company. The original price of the damages borne by train carriages alone is quoted to be worth over 100 million baht (US$3.1 million).
The company is one of the largest contractors in Thailand, and it was in charge of building a skyscraper in Bangkok, which fell down in March last year because of an earthquake. The president of the company, along with some of its designers and engineers, was accused of professional negligence in that incident last year. Some have denied wrongdoing.
Chinese state media reported that none of the Chinese construction companies or workers were employed in the collapse, according to the Chinese embassy in Thailand.
Thailand is not a foreign country regarding fatal construction incidents, and it has been partly caused by the lax regulation of safety standards and measures.
In 2023, a freight train smashed into a pick-up truck that was passing over railway lines in the eastern part of the country, killing eight and injuring four others.
It has killed about 150 people in the last seven years in various accidents in a road development project between Bangkok and the southern part of the country.
