Up to 66 people have been killed and 247 injured in an early Monday train collision in east China's Shandong Province.
The accident occurred in Hejiacun village, in the suburbs of Zibo, about 70 kilometers east of the provincial capital Jinan.
The accident occurred in Hejiacun village, in the suburbs of Zibo, about 70 kilometers east of the provincial capital Jinan. One train was en route from Beijing to Qingdao. The other was running from Shandong's Yantai to Xuzhou in eastern Jiangsu Province.
The train from Beijing, coded T195, derailed at 4:43 AM. About 10 carriages toppled into a ditch. The derailed train hit train 5034, causing it to veer off its tracks.
The Jinan Railway Bureau says 51 of the injured people are in critical condition. Among them are four French nationals. The accident has disrupted two-way traffic on the Jinan-Qingdao Railway, a pivotal provincial rail link. Rescue teams and police have been sent in from the neighboring cities of Jinan and Weifang.
Chinese Vice Premier, Zhang Dejiang, and Minister of Railways, Liu Zhijun, have arrived at the site to oversee the rescue work. Chinese President, Hu Jintao, and Premier Wen Jiabao have urged local authorities to do all they can to take care of the passengers and deal with the situation with care and consideration.
