Four railway workers die after being struck by limited-express train in Tochigi
The men, in their 50s and 60s, had been performing weeding on railroad tracks.
On Thursday, a limited-express train from Tobu Nikko Station struck four railway workers in Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture, resulting in their deaths, according to Tobu Railway. The incident occurred at around 10:45 a.m. when authorities received an emergency call reporting the tragedy. The Spacia X2, a six-car limited-express train heading towards Tobu Asakusa Station in Tokyo, was the vehicle responsible for the fatal accident.
The workers, aged between 50 and 60, were reportedly engaged in weeding along the railroad tracks at Shin-Kanuma Station when the collision took place.
A total of seven workers, including the four who lost their lives, were present at the scene, performing the maintenance work. Fortunately, none of the approximately 50 passengers on the train sustained injuries during the incident. Tobu Railway decided to suspend train services temporarily between Shin-Tochigi and Shimo-Imaichi stations following the accident, as reported on Thursday afternoon.
While the news of the fatalities was grim, the company's statement did not provide any further details regarding the circumstances leading up to the tragedy.
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