🕒 Created · Updated

Four workers died after being struck by a limited express train at Shin-Kanuma Station in Japan

Four workers, including three laborers and a supervisor, were killed after being struck by a Tokyo-bound Spacia express train at Shin-Kanuma Station on Thursday. The accident occurred while the team was performing weed control and spraying herbicide along the railway tracks. Tochigi prefectural police are investigating the cause of the collision, specifically looking into why the workers did not evacuate the site as the train approached. While the train driver reportedly believed the area was clear, several workers remained on the tracks. Railway officials from Tobu Railway Co. stated that the lookout system was operating as normal, which typically involves lookouts using whistles, microphones, and flags to alert workers. Takao Suzuki, head of Tobu's railway business division, offered a formal apology for the fatalities. Authorities are currently examining the safety management systems and coordination between lookouts and workers to prevent future incidents on the Japan's reliable railway network.

Sources