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Tragedy strikes as crane falls onto moving train
At least 32 people died and 66 were injured when a construction crane toppled onto a passenger train in Thailand's Ban Thanon Khot on Wednesday, authorities confirmed. Three passengers remain missing.
Chaos and rescue efforts at the scene
Witnesses described a deafening crash followed by screams as the crane flipped onto the moving carriages. Pitchaya Promenade, a school volunteer trained in first aid, said the crane appeared momentarily stuck before it suddenly overturned.
Rescuers worked through the evening to extract victims from the mangled wreckage. One carriage caught fire, complicating efforts. Emergency teams used hydraulic cutters and cranes to free trapped passengers.
"It looked like a spoon scooping into a slice of cake,"
Pitchaya Promenade, witness
Penporn Pumjantuek, a restaurant owner near the site, recalled the horror: "People were screaming 'Help! Help!' and smoke was rising. Oil was spilling everywhere." She rushed to assist despite her fear.
Victims include students, workers, and elderly
The injured ranged from a one-year-old to an 85-year-old, with seven in critical condition. Suphann Imchantrik, a local resident, helped the infant, who was barely breathing. "I saw the dead lying there. It was heartbreaking," he said.
Project under scrutiny amid safety concerns
The crane was part of a $5.4 billion China-backed railway project linking Bangkok to southwestern China via Laos. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an investigation, and the State Railway of Thailand is suing the contractor, Italian-Thai Development Company.
The same firm was responsible for a Bangkok skyscraper that collapsed during an earthquake last March, while other buildings remained intact.
Experts suspect human error
Amorn Pimanmas, an engineering professor at Kasetsart University, ruled out natural causes like storms or vibrations. "Human factors are the more likely cause," he said.
Thailand has a history of deadly construction accidents, often linked to weak safety enforcement. In 2023, a train-truck collision killed eight, and a road project claimed 150 lives over seven years.
