00:00At least 22 people have been killed after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger
00:12train in northeast Thailand, triggering one of the deadliest rail-related accidents in
00:17the country in recent years. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning, around 9am local time,
00:25in the Sikyo district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, approximately 230 kilometres northeast of Bangkok.
00:34The train was travelling from Thailand's capital Bangkok to Ubonratchathani province,
00:39when it was struck by a massive crane that was part of an ongoing rail construction project.
00:46Local police told the Reuters news agency that the crane was working on a high-speed and medium-speed
00:52rail project when it collapsed and hit the passing train, causing the train to derail and briefly
00:58catch fire. Initial reports suggested that 12 people had been killed, but authorities quickly
01:05revised the death toll upward as rescue teams reached the damaged train cars. Police later
01:12confirmed that the number of fatalities could be as high as 22, as rescuers continued to search
01:18through the wreckage. According to officials, 12 bodies have been recovered so far, while another
01:26seven passengers travelling in a car that caught fire are feared dead, contributing to the rising toll.
01:34At least 30 people were initially reported injured, but later updates from authorities confirmed that
01:4079 passengers were hurt, including eight people with severe injuries.
01:44Emergency services were dispatched to the site, and the fire caused by the collision has since been
01:52extinguished, allowing rescue crews to safely continue recovery operations.
01:59The crash occurred in Banthanon Kot, a location where construction was underway for a fast rail line
02:05connecting the Lao border to Bangkok, according to local officials.
02:09Speaking to the BBC, Police Superintendent Thatchapon Chinna Wong described the moment of impact saying
02:19the construction crane collapsed onto a running train leaving from Bangkok.
02:26Authorities confirmed that the accident happened while construction work was ongoing,
02:30raising concerns about safety protocols at active infrastructure sites.
02:34As rescue efforts continued, officials warned that the death toll could still rise, depending on what
02:57is found inside the most severely damaged train cars.
03:03Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Phipat Rachakitprakhan, responded to the tragedy
03:09by ordering a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crane collapse.
03:17Local authorities have released images showing the scale of the destruction,
03:21with crushed train cars and debris scattered along the tracks.
03:24Officials say the investigation will focus on construction safety standards, equipment failure,
03:32and whether proper precautions were taken while trains continue to operate near the worksite.
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