A crane at a China-backed high-speed rail project in Thailand collapsed onto a passenger train, causing it toآ derail on Wednesday, killing at least 22 people and injuring 30, local authorities said.
One police official said the death toll is expected to rise due to the high number of critical injuries.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said 195 people were on board the train and authorities were rushing to identify the deceased.
The incident happened when the train was passing by a work site where a crane in the location collapsed and hit the passing train. It caused the train to derail and briefly catch fire, causing a number of losses.
Emergency responders and disaster response units were rushed to the scene to carry out rescue and relief operations. Amid concerns over the rising number of deaths, Ratchakitprakarn ordered a “thorough and comprehensive investigation†into the cause of the accident.
The collapsed crane was part of a high-speed rail project valued at approximately $5.4 billion.