One of Taiwan’s faster, newer trains derailed today on its way from a suburb of Taipei to Taitung, killing 18 people and injuring at least 160 others.
As Taiwan’s fastest eastern train, reaching up to 93 miles per hour, the train derailed on a curve with 366 passengers on board at 4:50 p.m.
JUST IN: At least 3 dead, over 20 injured after train derails in north-eastern #Taiwan‘s Yilan county https://t.co/DRcdxdebjR pic.twitter.com/DbSV5RCe7K
— The Straits Times (@STcom) October 21, 2018
Ministry of National Defense spokesman Chen Chung-chi spoke on the experience of some of those who were killed: “Their train car turned over. They were crushed, so they died right away.”
According to The Associated Press, a government spokesman reported that most of the deaths occurred in the first car which flipped over. Reports say that five of the eight carriages had overturned.
Firefighters and 120 soldiers are assisting in the rescue work, and it’s currently unclear how many people may still be trapped in the trains.
According to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, there may be as many as 30 people still in the wreckage, but as nightfall fell on Sunday evening, it has slowed the rescue process.
As authorities investigate the cause of the derailment, images of the train cars and rescue work have appeared on social media.
A passenger train derailment has killed at least 18 people in Taiwan, and emergency workers are trying to free others trapped in the wreckage. https://t.co/pCwX1ItkAq
— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 21, 2018
The disaster response team works to investigate the crash and bring the remaining passengers to safety. In the meantime, the injured are being treated at four hospitals.
