Four Railway Workers Killed After Train Collision at Shin-Kanuma Station

Four Railway Workers Killed After Train Collision at Shin-Kanuma Station

• Workers were clearing weeds from the train tracks at Shin‑Kanuma Station in Kanuma city, north of Tokyo, when an express train struck them.

Authorities in Japan confirmed that a train struck and killed four railway workers on Thursday, an uncommon incident given the nation’s typically exemplary rail safety record.
Local reports indicated that the four workers were performing weed removal on the tracks at Shin‑Kanuma Station, north of Tokyo, when an express train collided with them.
A fire department spokesperson confirmed that all four were declared dead, according to AFP.
Another official reported that upon the arrival of emergency services, three workers were trapped beneath the train and one remained on the platform.
The victims, all male and aged between their 50s and 60s, were identified by Jiji Press.
Approximately 50 passengers aboard the train were unharmed.
The six‑car train operated as the Spacia X express on the Tobu Nikko Line, linking Greater Tokyo to the tourist town of Nikko in Tochigi Prefecture, according to media reports.
The Tokyo‑bound train was nearing its stop at Shin‑Kanuma when the collision occurred, NHK reported, quoting the operator.
“We heard a loud rumbling noise, and then the train braked suddenly, making it impossible to stand,” a 40‑year‑old passenger told NHK.
“An announcement followed, saying we would stop to determine the source of the noise,” he added, noting that passengers were temporarily unable to exit.
Local media said the workers were part of a seven‑person crew tasked with clearing weeds from around the tracks.
Japanese railways maintain one of the world’s strongest safety records.
Fatal accidents caused by train malfunctions are extremely rare in Japan, thanks to rigorous maintenance, comprehensive training, and advanced technology.
Japan’s deadliest incident this century occurred in April 2005, when a rush‑hour commuter train derailed and collided with an apartment building in Amagasaki, western Japan, killing 107 people and injuring more than 500.
In 1963, a collision involving a derailed cargo train and two passenger trains resulted in 161 fatalities.
Since their introduction in 1964, Japan’s shinkansen bullet trains have never recorded a passenger fatality from derailment or collision.

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