At least 22 killed as crane collapses on passenger train in Thailand, with scores of others injured, after a construction crane fell onto a moving passenger train in the country’s northeast, derailing several carriages and triggering a brief fire, according to Thai officials.
The deadly incident occurred on Wednesday morning in Nakhon Ratchasima province, north-east of Bangkok, when a crane working on a high-speed rail construction project collapsed onto a train travelling from the capital to Ubon Ratchathani.
Authorities said the impact caused multiple carriages to overturn beside shrubland, trapping passengers inside twisted metal as smoke rose from the wreckage.
Footage from the scene verified by Agence France-Presse showed the broken crane structure resting across large concrete pillars, with parts of the train badly damaged beneath it.
Rescue workers were seen climbing over the derailed carriages, using cutting equipment to reach injured passengers as emergency sirens sounded nearby.
“At around 9am, I heard a loud noise, like something sliding down from above, followed by two explosions,” said local resident Mitr Intrpanya, 54, who was at the scene shortly after the crash.
“When I went to see what had happened, I found the crane sitting on a passenger train with three carriages. The metal from the crane appeared to strike the middle of the second carriage, slicing it in half.”
Police confirmed that 22 people were killed in the accident, while at least 80 others sustained injuries of varying severity. Thatchapon Chinnawong, the district police chief, said rescue teams were still working to assess the condition of those taken to hospital.
“We are now asking the hospital to say how many people are in critical condition,” Thatchapon said, adding that authorities were prioritising medical treatment and identification of the deceased.
Live television footage broadcast by local media showed a brightly coloured passenger train lying on its side, with thick smoke billowing from the debris.
Emergency workers in protective gear were seen rushing to the scene, carrying stretchers and assisting survivors away from the wreckage.
Officials later confirmed that the rescue operation was temporarily paused due to concerns about a chemical leak at the site, raising fears for the safety of both survivors and first responders.
The Nakhon Ratchasima provincial public relations department said the decision was taken as a precaution while specialists assessed potential hazards.
“A crane collapsed onto a train causing it to derail and catch fire,” the department said in a statement, confirming that the train had been travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province at the time of the crash.
The transport minister, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, said there were 195 people onboard the train when the accident happened.
He ordered an urgent investigation to determine the cause of the crane collapse and whether safety regulations had been breached.
Authorities said they were working to identify the victims and notify their families, as hospitals in the region treated dozens of injured passengers. Some survivors were reported to have suffered fractures and burns, while others were treated for shock.
The crash occurred at a construction site forming part of a $5.4bn high-speed rail project backed by Beijing. The project aims to link Bangkok with Kunming in China via Laos by 2028, forming a key section of China’s expansive Belt and Road infrastructure initiative across Southeast Asia.
Once completed, the 600km railway is expected to allow Chinese-made trains to travel at speeds of up to 250km/h between Bangkok and Nong Khai, near the Mekong River border with Laos.
Thai officials have promoted the project as a major boost to regional connectivity and trade.
However, Wednesday’s tragedy has renewed scrutiny of safety standards at large construction sites in Thailand.
Industrial and construction accidents have long been a concern in the country, where critics say lax enforcement of regulations often leads to fatal incidents.
Thailand has approximately 5,000km of railway, but its ageing and poorly maintained network has historically pushed many people to rely on road transport, which itself has one of the highest accident rates in the world.
The government has sought to modernise rail infrastructure in recent years, partly to reduce road congestion and improve safety.
Images released by the Ministry of Transport and international news agencies showed mangled train carriages, shattered windows and rescue workers combing through debris.
One photograph showed emergency personnel standing atop an overturned carriage, shining lights into darkened compartments as they searched for survivors.
As night fell, officials said recovery efforts would continue, though progress remained slow due to structural instability at the site and ongoing safety checks. Families of passengers gathered at nearby hospitals and information centres, anxiously awaiting updates.
The government has pledged support for victims and their relatives, while investigators work to establish whether mechanical failure, human error or regulatory lapses contributed to the crane’s collapse. Officials have not ruled out criminal liability if negligence is found.
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For many in Thailand, the incident has underscored long-standing concerns about infrastructure safety amid rapid development.
As the country pushes ahead with ambitious transport projects, Wednesday’s disaster has cast a shadow over promises of progress, leaving communities mourning lives lost and demanding accountability.
