Eight killed, three injured as pick-up hit by train at railway crossing

Pick-up drivers claims that despite seeing a warning light, he tried to drive across the bridge track.

CHACHOENGSAO: A pick-up vehicle was struck by a freight train early on Friday night in the Muang region of this eastern province, killing eight people and injuring three others.

According to Pol Capt Teerawat Pornprasit, a duty agent at the Muang police depot, the incident happened around 3 am at Moo 6 in tambon Khlong Udom Chonlajorn.

Officers rushed to the scene, along with health staff from Buddhasothorn Hospital and a group of volunteers.

They discovered cargo coach No. 833 on the road trail, its motor still running. The coach, which was carrying pots, was traveling from the Laem Chabang Port to the interior container depot at Lat Krabanang.

Five men and three women’s bodies were found scattered throughout the region, along with a seriously damaged Isuzu pick-up vehicle.

One of the three victims was really hurt. They were taken quickly to Buddhasothorn Medical Center.

The 55-year-old pick-up drivers, Wichai Yulek, revealed to the police during doubting that he was transporting a group of employees from Wat Buaroy in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang area to ostensibly fish farms in Khlong Udom Cholachorn.

Mr. Wichai claims to have seen a warning light indicating the approaching coach as he got closer to the railroad crossing. But a fellow traveler told him to proceed. He therefore made an unsuccessful attempt to cross the bridge track.

The pick-up was violently propelled off the road when the train collided with the remaining part of it. Eight deaths and three injuries were caused when the employees seated at the back of the car were ejected during the effects.

Surapat Prasop, 20, a victim and one of the staff riding in the pick-up, claimed that upon spotting the approaching coach, he made the decision to jump off. A few seconds afterwards, the pick-up was struck by the coach.

The fish farm’s owner, Wichian Saengthapson, 58, stated that he had hired the workers to get fish there and anticipated their introduction by 2 a.m. At three in the morning, he learned of the injury. He had heard the coach bell several days at the farm, but he had never taken it to be a reminder.

The volunteers transported the eight workers’ bodies to the hospital for an examination before giving them to their loved ones for religious rituals.

The number of significant train accidents at Thai railroad crossings has increased as a result of this tragedy. A cargo train struck a vehicle carrying 57 passengers from Samut Prakan territory on October 11, 2020, as it was traveling through the Muang district’s tambon Bang Toey. This was the yearly presentation of new clothes to Buddhist monks.

30 other travellers were hurt, and 20 died.