One carriage tumbled down
into the river nearby and another broke away in the middle. At least 120
metres of rail was severely damaged.
by Vu Kim Chung
9-6-2000
A 32 hour north-south express train running from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City was derailed in Chau Hoa village, Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province at 5.27am on June 2, 2000, killing one man and injuring 23 other people including 6 children. There were 332 passengers on board when the train, unable to slowdown at a curved section before a tunnel, was derailed.
One carriage tumbled down
into the river nearby and another broke away in the middle. At least 120
metres of rail was severely damaged.
The north-south railway was reopened to traffic at 6 p.m. on June 2 after 12 and a half hours of blockage in the central province of Quang Binh. The train was carrying 332 passengers, including 12 foreigners. According to initial reports, the accident claimed the life of Vu Huu Minh, a 49-year-old man residing in Hue city, and injured 23 others. Rescue operations were carried out immediately after the accident. The Quang Binh Railway Management Company repaired the over 100 m of tracks that had been damaged. Heavy rains and strong wind, which pulled down an electricity pole, resulted in the local telecommunication system being cut off. This was blamed for the accident because the train engineer could not be contacted of the bad conditions on the track as the warning lights were not switched on. Worse still, the accident occured as the train entered a curb section which was under repair. However, subsequent investigations revealed the train drivers were culpable.
The broken telecommunication
cable of the railway system also made it difficult for instant rescue work.
It took two hours for the first rescue team to arrive. Villagers used boats
to help save people from the sinking carriage.
By 10 am, all passengers, including the one dead man and 23 injured people, were taken to Dong Hoi, the next station, where the passengers were transferred to another train to continue the journey, while the injured people were taken to hospital.
The railway management unit in Quang Binh sent all their workers to help restore services and by 2pm, the 120 metres of damaged track was repaired. Services only returned to normal at 7 am the following morning, June 3, after 20 hours of the railway line being cut. An investigation was put underway to find out the cause of the accident.
Drivers on Trial for Train Derailing
The two drivers of the
north-south Vietnam express train faced a court trial for their alleged direct
involvement in the derailing of the train. Two drivers, Vo Manh Hung and
Le Canh Ky, faced charges of violating railway traffic safety codes. Mr Ky
told investigating police that one of the direct causes of the accident was
exceeding the speed limit for the railroad section before a tunnel. Sudden
braking caused seven carriages to derail.
The Vietnam Railway Company said that, despite the accident, the number of passengers travelling by the company’s north-south express train was on the rise, with average tickets sales for June 1-7 standing at 6,685 per day.
President Praises Commune for Train Rescue
Vietnam's President Tran Duc Luong sent a letter to the people and authorities of Chau Hoa commune, Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province on June 13, praising their efforts in rescuing victims and preserving the property of passengers in the derailment accident on June 2.
The letter read: "I was moved to hear that the people and authorities in Chau Hoa commune carried out active efforts to save people, preserve property and overcome the accident’s aftermath to resume operation of the north-south railway line after the derailing.
"On behalf of the Party and State, I praise this good deed and hope that the Ministry of Transport and Communications, in co-ordination with localities nationwide, will promote the noble spirit shown by the people in Chau Hoa and further raise the awareness in traffic safety for people, especially those living near the railway line.’