32 killed in China train accident

Beijing, Jul 23: At least 32 people were killed and over 100 others injured today when two coaches of a bullet train fell off a bridge after derailing in China''s eastern Zhejiang province.

State-run Xinhua news agency said that 32 were confirmed dead and over 100 others injured in the accident.

The train, running from the provincial capital Hangzhou to the southeastern city of Fuzhou, derailed at the section of Shuangyu Town in Wenzhou City of Zhejiang at 8:30 pm (local time), fire fighters said.

While the reports about the accident were sketchy, official media said it occurred when the train derailed at the section of Shuangyu Town in Wenzhou City of Zhejiang.

The train was hit by lightning and lost power after which it was apparently hit from the rear by another bullet train coming in the same direction.

The Ministry of Railways confirmed that the D301 train from Beijing to Fuzhou "rear-ended" the D3115 train.

The first four coaches of D301 and the 15th and 16th coaches of D3115 went off the line, Xinhua reported.

A witness said a coach of D3115 plunged onto the ground vertically while another coach was hanging on the bridge with one side seriously deformed. The bridge is about 20 to 30 meters above the ground.

"Rescuers have dragged many passengers out of the coach falling on the ground," a witness told Xinhua.

PTI