11 killed as test train crashes into workers in China’s deadliest rail accident in over a decade

At least 11 maintenance workers lost their lives and two were injured after a test train, designed to examine earthquake detection systems, struck a group of workers on a curved track section at Luoyangzhen station in Kunming, Yunnan Province, on November 27.

Officials have declared this the deadliest rail accident in China in more than ten years.

The fatal collision unfolded during routine track maintenance, prompting an immediate investigation into the cause. Despite the tragedy, Luoyangzhen station resumed normal operations shortly after, according to state-run Xinhua news agency.

Tragedy struck again the same day in Sichuan’s Deyang city, where two additional railway maintenance workers were killed by a train, highlighting persistent dangers facing those who keep China’s extensive rail network running.

China’s railway system, the largest globally with over 160,000 kilometers of track, carries billions of passengers annually. While its rapid expansion and efficiency have earned praise, safety concerns have mounted after high-profile disasters — including a 2011 crash in Zhejiang province that claimed 40 lives and injured 200, and a 2021 collision on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang line that killed nine workers.

This latest catastrophe underscores the urgent need to enhance safety protocols for frontline workers amid China’s relentless drive to modernize and expand its rail infrastructure.