These are the chaotic scenes following a rare morning rush-hour train derailing in Hong Kong which left eight people injured.
The incident happened as the 12-car train packed with some 400 commuters ran out of its tracks at Hung Hom station, which is in the city’’s busy kowloon area, today (16th September).
Video credit: AsiaWire
Videos and pictures taken in the aftermath of the derailing show the hundreds of passengers climbing out of a broken train carriage door while others walk across the tracks at the station on the East Rail line.
Cars 4 and 5 are understood to have separated during the derailing shortly after the train left the platform at Hung Hom.
Video credit: AsiaWire
Car 4 was later seen strewn across three tracks, while cars 5 and 6 were also zigzagged on the rails.
Local media reports that passengers noticed the train going “very fast” before the derailing happened.
Division Officer Cheung Kwong-yuen, with Kowloon South of the Fire Services Department, confirmed that some 400 passengers were evacuated from Hung Hom station.
Eight commuters reported injuries, and five – one male and four females – were taken to hospital for further treatment of injuries to their neck, shoulders or limbs, Cheung added.
At least 90 firefighters, 15 ambulances and 15 fire engines are understood to have been dispatched to the scene.
Hong Kong public transport operator MTR, whose trains caters to some six million commuters every weekday, said it had suspended operations between Hung Hom and Mong Kok.
As investigations into the suspected accident continue, the usually reliable service has been plunged into chaos as travellers are being asked to take alternative routes or other means of transportation.
It was not immediately clear what caused the derailing.
It is also unknown whether the incident was linked to ongoing pro-democracy protests, which had previously vandalised MTR infrastructure for reportedly not allowing demonstrators to gather in train stations.
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Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report
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