Beijing: A total of 515 people were taken to the hospital, including 102 with broken bones, when two metro trains collided in heavy snow here in China's capital, authorities said on Friday.
The accident occurred when slippery tracks prompted emergency braking of the leading train, and the rear train, following from a downhill section, slid and failed to brake effectively, resulting in a collision, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport said in a statement on Friday.
The accident took place on Thursday night in the city's mountainous west on an above-ground portion of the Changping line - which serves the city's northern region, including the hi-tech hub of Xierqi and the Ming Tombs.
Dec 14 evening: a train car of Beijing subway’s Changping Line (昌平线) broke apart… pic.twitter.com/bfvgLpsiND
— Byron Wan (@Byron_Wan) December 14, 2023
After the accident, 515 people were sent to the hospital for examination, among whom 102 were found with fractures, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Friday. It added that no fatalities were recorded in the accident.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said officials are verifying whether any foreigners were among the injured.
As of Friday, 423 people had left the hospital, 25 were under medical observation, and 67 others were hospitalised, the Municipal Commission said, adding that an investigation team has formed to further probe into the cause of the accident and evaluate the emergency response.
The Chinese capital prides itself on running the world's busiest metro rail, with 27 lines carrying about 13 million passengers. Metro trains run in gaps of about a minute during peak hours.
During the past three days, the subway trains have been experiencing heavy rush as the government advised commuters to use public transport due to the heavy snowstorms in the city and northern China since Monday.
The local government has advised the residents in the city to stay indoors while schools and outdoor entertainment facilities are closed.
The accident was a nightmare for hundreds of passengers in both trains as videos posted on social media showed people moaning due to pain caused by injuries while others attempted to exit through the mangled remains of the metro trains.
One passenger told The Economic Observer newspaper that he felt a sudden jolt before the lights in the carriage went out. Some people had fallen over, and glass panes were broken, the commuter said.
There were also reports of fractures, as well as eye and head injuries, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
The subway authorities said the conductor rail had lost electricity on part of the line, leading to sudden stoppages for some trains and delays for others. The cause of the power failure is not yet known.
Chinese President Xi Jinping urged all-out efforts in emergency response and ensuring a warm and safe winter for the people.
He urged relevant regions and departments to step up to their responsibilities and make detailed precautionary measures.
Beijing Communist Party Secretary Yin Li and the city's mayor, Ying Yong, inspected the accident scene and checked on the subway's operations and emergency plans.
Yin also visited injured passengers at Jishuitan Hospital, as well as the Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, to inspect transport across the city.
He stressed that train and bus services should be increased to make sure people could get home in the extreme weather, the report said.
The Beijing Subway apologised on the Chinese social media network Weibo. It said passengers who had left on their own during the evacuation could contact the authorities if they felt discomfort, and their medical expenses would be reimbursed.
On Thursday evening, Beijing city was under an orange alert for heavy snow and a yellow alert for icy roads.
China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe alert, followed by orange, yellow and blue.