Chinese Bullet Train Crash Kills 32
- Posted on July 23, 2011 at 5:47pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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A Chinese bullet train crashed into another high-speed train that had stalled after being struck by lightning Saturday in eastern China, causing four carriages to fall off a viaduct and killing at least 32 people and injuring 191 others, state media reported.The first train was traveling from the Zhejiang provincial capital of Hangzhou when it lost power in the lightning strike and was hit from behind by the second train in Wenzhou city at 8:27 p.m. (1230 GMT), the official Xinhua News Agency said.
The provincial emergency office told Xinhua that at least 32 people were killed and 191 injured.
Early Sunday, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao called for an all-out effort to rescue passengers still trapped in the wreckage hours after the collision, Xinhua said.
A preliminary investigation by the Zhejiang provincial government released early Sunday showed that four coaches of the moving train fell off the viaduct, Xinhua said. The cars plunged about 65 to 100 feet (20 to 30 meters) from the elevated section of track, Xinhua said.
Photos taken at the scene showed one badly damaged car lying on its side by the viaduct and another car leaning against the viaduct after landing on its end..
Xinhua quoted an unidentified witness as saying “rescuers have dragged many passengers out of the coach that fell on the ground.”
Minister of Railways Sheng Guangzu, who was heading to the accident scene, ordered an in-depth investigation of the accident.
The trains involved are “D” trains, the first generation bullet train with an average speed of about 95 miles (150 kilometers) per hour and not as fast as the new Beijing-Shanghai line.
Xinhua said the train hit by lightning was “D3115.“ It said the Ministry of Railways confirmed that it was hit from behind by train ”D301.”
China has spent billions of dollars and plans more massive spending to link the country with a high-speed rail network. WSJ reports that when the Chinese system’s most prominent line, connecting Beijing and Shanghai, opened late last month on the eve of the ruling Communist Party’s 90th birthday, Premier Wen Jiabao was among its inaugural riders. Recently, power outages and other malfunctions have plagued the showcase high-speed line between Beijing and Shanghai since it opened on June 30.
Official plans call for China’s bullet train network to expand to 8,000 miles (13,000 kilometers) of track this year and 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometers) by 2020.
The huge spending connected with the rail expansion also has been blamed for corruption, and Railways Minister Liu Zhijun was dismissed this spring amid an investigation into unspecified corruption allegations.
No details have been released about the allegations against him, but news reports say they include kickbacks, bribes, illegal contracts and sexual liaisons.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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Comments (55)
Fina Biscotti
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 2:21amAccident caused by loss of power on one train – causing it to be rear-ended by another bullet train…….
Hope that changes Obama’s plan for the USA…….
Report Post »Lone Ranger
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:40amMy uncle used to stop my Lionel by putting a beer can on the tracks. You would think that someone would have thought about putting some sort of lightening safety device on those trains.
Report Post »banjarmon
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 11:24pmBullets kill…
Report Post »v12tommy
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 10:20pmSomeone should look closely at the wreckage. I am sure there is a “made in china” sticker or stamp somewhere on that train.
Report Post »DisillusionedDaily
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 10:18pmObama’s plans for a country cris-crossed by high-speed trains is still very much alive, even though China, Japan and the other countries that have them have never realized a profit from them. They subsidize them with billions of dollars anually.
Another thought…….If Obama gets his way and closes down half of the electrical generating capacity in this country, where is the power to run his trains and recharge his electrical automobiles going to come from. Is he intending to power them with radiance from his magnificient being?
Report Post »Greenwood
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 10:40pmWind………..Chicago is called the windy city and it has nothing to do with the weather.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 9:29pmSheng Guangzu, head of the railway system, ought to forget about investigating and get the hell out of Dodge before he’s tried for and convicted of negligence then taken out and shot.
Report Post »TheCenturion
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 9:51pmAs I recall OUR communist in chief wants a bullet train in America, AND he wants the Chinese to build it.
Thankfully, we’ve learned of this mistake before it happened.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 9:25pmThis is a terrible human tragedy. One wonders though, how could the design be so flawed as to not have some GPS or other technology up and running that might have warned off the second train? It’s either stupidity or far worse. Somebody’s going to get a bullet through the rear of their skull over this one! China don’t play.
Report Post »LinkedIn G
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 9:03pmJust a note to ones self…If a train stops on the tracks…The best idea might be to get off. The problem with any catstrophe is the “knee jerk” reaction that the people or government might propose. Like outlawing high speed trains will save lives. Gun control laws are the same. Like Archie Bunker told Meathead back in the day…when Meathead wanted another Gun Control law…”would you rather be killed with a knife ?”…As tragic as this accident is…It’s just an anomaly…Knee jerk reactions and ranting and raving always leads to worse. Should better communications between trains be instituted ? Obviously.
Report Post »Gypsy123
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 8:25pmStruck by lightning interesting
Report Post »avenger
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 8:33pmis this the new chinese lottery…buy a ticket,live or die…
Report Post »BlazingPatriot
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 9:13pmfaster ══════ FASTER═════════F A S T E R═══════════════
Can’t we go just a little faster?
Report Post »jmgair
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 8:08pmAnd this is the type of infrastucture “investments” that Obama says we need. Who rides on trains anyway besides Joe Biden ?? The USA is not set up for high speed rail and to make that switch would be a nightmare getting the dedicated land to build one is all the more reason to say no to Obama’s third world mentality.
Report Post »Tundra4x4
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 8:17pmThe curse of Ocrap continues!
Report Post »Greenwood
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 10:56pmA switch to high speed rail would be a nightmare it‘s been almost 10 years now and the WTC hasn’t been rebuilt yet. We built the Empire State Bldg. in 18 months in the 30′s
Report Post »david3755
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 7:55pmA nuclear reacter overheats in Japan after being flooded by a once in a lifetime event with no deaths by radiation and the enviromental whackos try to kill nuclear power. A bullet train kills 32 and hurts who knows how many and obama wants to spend billions so we can have a bullet train. What is wrong with this picture?
Report Post »stevoschmidt
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:50pmfederal reserve bailed out pennsylvania rail thus resulting in amtrak and conrail. conrail paid ite debts back, but as far as amtrak is concerned theyll keep living off the rest of us. uggggggghhhhhh
Report Post »greenbrier, norfolk, southern union, conrail, plenty of successful rail companies performing in the green get govt. out of the way. defund any and all tax payer provided rail industry and let the successful companies take care of the business they know how to do without a beurocratic system overlooming everything.
101
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:47pmMade in China
Report Post »BlazingPatriot
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 9:19pmExactly!
Justing waiting for that Three Gorges Dam to crack and burst, possibly killing hundreds of thousands of them.
Report Post »BlazingPatriot
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 9:22pmGod Forbid!!!
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:46pmshowed that four coaches of the moving train fell off: How many weren’t moving?
Report Post »stevoschmidt
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:45pmOne Boston man was suspected to have crashed his rail cart because he was on the phone. Now all the states pass legislation forcing hands free cell phone transportation or else.
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:44pmDo trains have seat belts?
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:43pmIt‘s Bush’s fault. I have been waiting for the first one to happen. Why ride in trains when they are just like planes in that they will crash at some point.
Report Post »stevoschmidt
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:42pmWill we learn from China or will our tax dollars continue to keep going to federally funded rail construction.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:50pmOur money will go to fund it, but it will never get built. The liberals don’t care where the money goes, just that it gets spent. Cloward and Piven anyone?
Report Post »right-wing-waco
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:54pmI propose that we start a high speed Conestoga wagon system. It would be good for full employment as it would put wagon wheel workers back to work after 100 years. (remove tongue from cheek)
Report Post »Ghandi was a Republican
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:33pmObama is a fool.. High speed in America means stopping ever 5 minutes at the station. Any distance over 200 miles can be covered more cheaply and faster via plane. We need our rails and rights of way (the true progressive scheme) for freight. Americans are nowhere near as obama needs us to be.. Thus his and the progressive lies and propaganda machine (Hitler style).
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:14pmObama bows to the MAYOR of Tampa while pushing for one of these .. uh. . train wrecks.
Report Post »buckster6.0
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:22pmoh yeah we need a high speed rail system here.hurry and get it goin whith all that stimulus money.and its gonna go just like everything elce this clown dreams up.off the rails.
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:32pm“Going off the rails of a crazy train…” – Ozzy Osbourne
Report Post »stevoschmidt
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:55pmI know I have family down there. I’ve seen the beginning stages of exactly what you describe. massive rails along massive highways with no traffic. The govt. wants control of everything. As soon as, our cars start flying we’ll be looking down on these deserted rails and highways going nowhere. During, the latter half of the 21st century they’ll all become ghettos.
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 7:14pmWhatever money they put down, it will not have been enough.
Report Post »The fat union cats will get fatter with their hands out.
This project will NEVER see the light of day to completion unless we recruit the Chinese like the olden days of the West to have it done.
Sadly, we are so in-debted to the ChiComs thanks to Obama, all the white people will be building this at cents on the hour.
Thighmaster
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:03pmIsn’t this what Obama wants for our country ?
Report Post »TelepromoterNChief
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:15pmReally more for the Unions if they promise to bully, push, persuade, intimmidate his reelection in 2012.
Report Post »Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 5:56pmThat’s Chinese ingenuity for you. A bullet train that completely ceases to work when struck by lightning and a track system that can’t tell another train that the track ahead is blocked.
Report Post »stevoschmidt
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 6:57pmsamn thing here when the massive blackout occured. on system failing after another
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 5:56pmNews reports say they include kickbacks, bribes, illegal contracts and sexual liaisons.
Report Post »Sounds like those words could be said about someone in most governments today! Am so sorry for the loss of life in the accident!
onegodinkansas
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 5:56pm…as long as these were only workers, not members of the ruling class.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on July 23, 2011 at 5:51pmTranslation: Our bikes were safer!
Report Post »chips1
Posted on July 24, 2011 at 12:00amHarwey Davson
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