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Two subway trains collided in Shanghai yesterday injuring more than 270 passengers, 20 critically, prompting public anger two months after a crash between two high-speed trains and renewing concerns about China’s aggressive rail building plans.
The collision occurred in central Shanghai, near the Yu Yuan gardens, a well-known tourist attraction, after a signal failure meant staff had to direct trains by telephone, though they were also running at slower speeds, state media said.
The official Xinhua news agency said most of the injuries were bruises and bone fractures, and that nobody was in a life-threatening condition. About 180 people have already been discharged from hospital, it said.
Ambulances rushed to the Yu Yuan station and emergency personnel carried injured passengers out, Reuters witnesses said.
Shen Jun, 23, who was in the first coach of the train that collided at 0651GMT, said “blood was everywhere”.
“Many people were hurt. Look at the blood on me, on my arm,” pointing at patches of blood on his shirt.
Xinhua said the signal systems used on the line were made by Casco Signal Ltd, a joint venture between China Railway Signal and Communication Corp and French power and transport engineering group Alstom .
Casco also provided systems on the railway line where the two high-speed trains crashed in July in which 40 people were killed, Xinhua added. This agency was unable to reach Casco or China Railway Signal and Communication for comment.
“Alstom is in contact with Shanghai metro and is working closely to supply information and technical diagnostics to determine the cause of the accident,” an Alstom spokesman said. The Shanghai subway accident quickly became the most talked about topic on the wildly popular Twitter-like Sina Weibo service, coming so soon after the July incident. “Another accident -- what a joke. So much money has been spent, all they’ve built is crap,” wrote “ggirl”.
Some expressed doubt the inevitable probe into the crash would uncover much.
“The relevant department has already set up an investigation team - what is this mysterious department?” wondered “money bag web”.
Yu Guangyao, chairman of the subway line operator, said they would do everything possible to get to the bottom of the cause of the accident.
“I do not wish to see such a situation like the accident that happened this afternoon. We must find out the reason behind this and even though they (Casco) have given us promises, there was still a malfunction in the signal system,” he told reporters.