Train overturned after hitting dump truck, 3 people died

After colliding with a dump truck, the train's engine broke off and overturned, four cars flew off the rails, killing at least three people. The railway through Loc Tien commune (Phu Loc, Thua Thien Hue) was paralyzed at 3:00 p.m. this afternoon.

After the accident, the locomotive was separated from the train. Photo: Quang Le.

At the scene, the locomotive was tilted, lying almost perpendicular to the rails. The four carriages behind the locomotive were derailed. The dump truck overturned and was severely damaged. Initial information shows that three people died on the spot, including two people on the dump truck, one of whom was the security train captain. Passengers on the train carriages were safe.

Police and the railway company are trying to rescue the locomotive and clear the railway.

A passenger train running north-south crashed into a dump truck. Photo: Quang Le.

The SE2 passenger train was traveling from the South to the North when the accident occurred. At the scene, the bodies of two male victims were lying on the side of the road, the body of the security train conductor was still stuck in the postal car, close to the engine. Authorities are trying to remove the victims' bodies. The two injured passengers are being treated.

Authorities tried to bring the body of the train captain out.

Vietnam Railways Corporation issued a statement stating that the accident occurred at 2:40 p.m. on February 20. Passenger train SE2, pulled by locomotive 906, when reaching the level crossing protected by a sign in Loc Tien commune, collided with a stone truck with license plate 75C-02691. In addition to the 3 deaths as initially reported, 4 others were slightly injured, including the train driver, assistant driver and 2 passengers on train SE2. The locomotive and 3 carriages fell over, 3 carriages derailed. The truck was severely damaged.

The truck bed overturned.

Mr. Nguyen Van Manh, Chairman of Phu Loc District People's Committee, Thua Thien Hue, said that the truck carrying rocks was traveling from National Highway 1A to Khe Dieu quarry. The two people on the truck who died were driver Le Ba Dung and assistant driver Le Van Thuan, both from Huong Thuy town, Thua Thien Hue. The bodies of the victims were taken to the morgue of Chan May General Hospital.

The other deceased victim was Pham Hong Phuong (33 years old), in charge of security on train SE2. The damaged train cars have not yet been towed to Thua Luu station. The railway industry said it will take a long time to clear the scene.

“There were about 250 passengers on train SE2, who were taking a car to Hue station to continue their journey to Hanoi. In addition, 170 passengers from the train behind were also transferred,” Mr. Manh informed.

According to VNE