Who is responsible for the train car derailment in Nghe An?

Regarding the railway accident between a truck and a freight train in Dien Chau district on the morning of September 25, according to a report by the Vietnam Railway Corporation, the cause of the accident was determined to be the truck driver's fault for not paying attention when driving through a self-opening crossing while the train was approaching.

The accident caused four freight train cars to overturn, one of which was lying across National Highway 1A. Photo: Viet Hung

According to Vietnam Railway Corporation, the self-opening walkway (larger than 3m) is located close to National Highway 1A, with clear visibility on both sides and a smooth surface. The railway has placed signs to warn trains and narrowing posts on this walkway and handed it over to the local authorities for management (but the locals have destroyed and removed the narrowing posts); the local authorities have placed signs to restrict vehicles. The railway has handed over the dossier of this self-opening walkway to the Traffic Safety Committee of Nghe An province on August 27, 2019.

Identified as a potential traffic accident risk point, the railway has sent a document to the Nghe An Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, directing the locality to assign guards at this location. On August 28, 2019, the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee issued Document No. 218/ATGT directing the locality to assign guards at this location 24/7.

Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, Mr. Le Ngoc Hoa directly went to the scene to direct the handling of the accident. Photo: Viet Hung

Previously, the Vietnam Railway Authority also issued document No. 1899/TB-CĐSVN dated September 23, 2016 requesting the locality to organize vigil at the above location. However, to date, the locality has not yet implemented it.

Previously, at 7:35 a.m. on September 25, 2019, the freight train number AH22 pulled by locomotive 722, when reaching Km 267+500 (self-opening passage) of Yen Ly - Cau Giat section, Hanoi - Ho Chi Minh City railway line (in Dien Truong commune, Dien Chau district), collided with a 2.5-ton light truck, license plate 37C-24331.

As a result, the car was thrown out and stuck in the road-railway guardrail; 4 carriages derailed and fell into the field, lying next to the road; tilted on the railway. One carriage was thrown out and hit a motorcyclist who was traveling on the road.

The accident site is a self-opening path. Photo: Viet Hung

The accident injured car driver Ho Xuan Son (born in 1982, residing in Block 4, Cau Giat town, Quynh Luu district). Property damaged included 1 car, 4 train cars, 50m of railway and road guardrails, railway and 1 motorbike.

The accident caused one-way traffic on Highway 1A to be blocked. Authorities had a hard time controlling traffic.