515 Injured in Subway Car Separation on Changping Line
515 people were sent to hospital due to injuries last night (Dec 14) following the accidental separation of subway carriages on a moving train on West Changping Line, report China Ddaily and various local Beijing media.
According to reports and eyewitness accounts, the last two cars of the subway suddenly decoupled from the rest of the train as it was traveling from Xierqi Station near Life Sciences Park at around 7pm last night.
A number of passengers told Beijing Daily they felt the train shake violently before being thrown about the train. From videos posted online of the event, it appears that some passengers were also thrown out of the train after it decoupled.
First responders were dispatched to the scene, where they aided in helping passengers evacuate to Xierqi Station. China Daily reports 515 people were sent to the hopsital due to injuries, with 102 suffering fractures. The report adds that as of 6am Friday (Dec 15), 423 people have been discharged, 25 are still in observation, and 67 were hospitalized for further treatment.
Beijing Subway is currently looking into the cause of the decoupling, but some reports speculate it could have been issues with freezing on the car couplers that led to the accident.
China Daily also reports that a preliminary investigation shows that slippery tracks resulting in a degraded signal and a faulty braking system on the train ultimately caused the decoupling. Since the accident, the Beijing Subway says trains operating on ground level or elevated tracks during extreme weather conditions will run in manual driving mode at lower speeds. Bus services will also be increased.
As of press time, Changping Line is only operating from Xitucheng (Line 10 to Changping transfer) to Xierqi Station in the south, and from Zhuxinzhuang (Line 8 to Changping transfer) to Changping Xishankou Station in the north.
READ: China Travel News You Might Have Missed, Dec 12
Images: Beijing Daily, Nanfang+, Responders Cited by Various Outlets
