'Black spot' of railway accidents in Nghe An haunts people

In recent times, many accidents have occurred here, causing great damage to people and vehicles.

Most recently, at 7:35 a.m. on September 25, 2019, freight train AH22 pulled by locomotive 722, when reaching Km 267+500 (in Dien Truong commune, Dien Chau district), collided with a 2.5-ton light truck, license plate 37C-24331.

The accident caused 4 freight train cars to overturn, one of which was lying across National Highway 1A. Photo: Archive

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 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.

Previously, in July alone, there were 3 railway accidents at this “black spot” that killed at least 2 people. At around 2:45 p.m. on July 13, a mother and her daughter (identity unknown) were driving a motorbike pulling a rickshaw from National Highway 1A across the railway (where there were no traffic lights) to go to Dien Doai commune.

Due to carelessness and lack of observation, the passenger train traveling north-south just passed by and hit the rickshaw, throwing it hundreds of meters away. Luckily, the woman and her child escaped death.

Accident scene on July 18. Photo: Duc Thanh

On July 18, a woman about 40 years old was driving a motorbike with license plate 37L1 - 056.06 pulling a homemade cart carrying ceramic tiles on National Highway 1A. While trying to cross the railway to return to Dien Doai commune, Dien Chau district, she encountered a freight train traveling from the South to the North just as it was approaching.

Seeing this, the woman panicked and left her motorbike behind to run away but was too late and was hit by a freight train. The accident injured the woman and she was taken to the hospital by locals immediately. The victim’s motorbike was severely damaged.

On July 30, another serious railway accident occurred at this point, killing two young men (identities unknown) residing in Quynh Luu district. The cause was determined to be due to lack of observation when crossing the railway to get to National Highway 1A, so they were hit by a train.

An accident forced the train to stop for investigation. Photo: Duc Thanh

In early August, another train accident occurred. According to local residents, at around 6:30 a.m. on August 2, a woman was driving a motorbike from National Highway 1A across the railway to Dien Doai Commune, Dien Chau District.

Due to carelessness and lack of observation, she was hit by a passenger train going north-south. The strong impact caused the woman to break her leg and become dizzy due to blood loss, and the motorbike was severely damaged.

“I live here so there is no railway accident that I do not know about. There are some very tragic ones. Almost every month there are accidents at this location, depending on the severity. There are months when 2-3 accidents happen here, which is normal.”

A resident of Dien Truong commune

Vietnam Railway Corporation confirmed that the accident site is a self-opened path, located close to National Highway 1A, with clear visibility on both sides and a smooth surface. The railway has placed a "Watch out for trains" sign and a narrowing post and handed it over to the local authorities for management. However, local people have destroyed and removed the narrowing post.

Notably, this self-opened level crossing has been identified as a potential black spot for traffic accidents. The railway has sent a document requesting the Traffic Safety Committee of Nghe An province to direct the locality to send people to guard it.

Nghe An Traffic Safety Committee has sent a document requesting the locality to arrange guards at this location, but the locality has not yet done so. Photo: Duc Thanh

Then, last August, the Nghe An Traffic Safety Committee issued a document requesting the locality to arrange for a guard at this location. However, the locality did not implement it.

This “black spot” is a nightmare for the people living here. The authorities need to have more drastic solutions to eliminate this dangerous “black spot”. Only then can we hope that these tragic deaths will no longer happen here.