4 workers at station hit by express train, unresponsive north of Tokyo
UTSUNOMIYA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Four workers were unresponsive on Thursday after being hit by an express train at a station in Tochigi Prefecture north o
In Utsunomiya, Japan, four workers lost their lives on Thursday after being struck by an express train at Shin-Kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line, according to police. The men, aged in their 50s and 60s, were on the tracks removing weeds when the tragic accident occurred around 10:45 a.m. None of the train's crew or passengers sustained injuries.
A total of seven workers were engaged in weeding work, with the other three remaining uninjured. The train, heading towards Asakusa in Tokyo, was scheduled to stop at Shin-Kanuma Station, where it was approaching the platform at the time of the incident.
The operator of Tobu Railway has revealed that there were approximately 50 passengers on board the train. Railway regulations require a designated lookout to visually inspect for approaching trains and ensure workers move away from the tracks, after which a flag is raised to signal the train driver. The driver must acknowledge this signal by sounding the horn.
Despite the lookout raising a flag, it remains unclear whether the workers were properly alerted. Following the accident, services on the Tobu Nikko Line were temporarily suspended.
Written by urgent.news from The Mainichi's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
