An express train in Japan struck and killed four workers on Thursday. The victims were engaged in weed control along the railway track when the incident occurred as the train was entering a station. Local officials confirmed the fatalities and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.
The accident occurred at Shin-Kanuma Station, north of Tokyo, on the Tobu Nikko Line, and involved the Tokyo-bound Spacia express train, the Tochigi prefectural police said. The four — three workers and a supervisor — were rushed to a hospital but later pronounced dead, according to police and train operator Tobu Railway Co. Railway officials said it was unclear why the workers did not leave the site when the train was approaching, or what the lookout people were doing. They said they are cooperating with authorities investigating the cause of the accident.
Those on lookout duty are supposed to warn fellow workers of an approaching train and let them evacuate. They wave a flag to the train, then its driver sounds the horn to signal awareness and moves on with caution. Takao Suzuki, head of Tobu’s railway business division, apologized for the fatal accident.
Initial accounts from the workers suggested possible miscommunication, but what exactly happened Thursday before and during the accident was still under investigation, Tobu officials said. “We take this severe accident seriously and we will ensure preventive measures and never let this happen,” he said.
