On October 27th, train D5518 collided with a wild boar near Zijinshan East Station in Nanjing, China, leading to a halt in operations. While the maintenance worker was dealing with the wild boar incident, they were tragically hit and killed by a passing train on a neighboring line. This unfortunate event has sparked doubts and criticisms online regarding the related management and procedures.
According to a statement released on Weibo by “Railway Nanjing Station” on October 29th at 12:32 PM, a wild boar intruded onto the high-speed railway link between Nanjing South Station and Zijinshan East Station, resulting in a collision with the passing train D5515. This collision caused equipment malfunctions and delays for some trains passing through Nanjing South Station.
The maintenance worker from the collided train D5515 disembarked to inspect and address the malfunction caused by the collision and was fatally struck by a passing train on a neighboring line.
Sources from China Railway Shanghai Group Co., Ltd., disclosed to “China Business News” that the incident occurred around 5:08 PM on the 27th. Train D5518 was traveling on the up line between Zijinshan East Station and Nanning Anchang Station in Nanjing when the driver felt the train hitting a foreign object. The train eventually stopped at 305+407m, and the maintenance worker got off to inspect. At 5:17 PM, the high-speed train G7267 from the opposite line (Huainan Nan – Shanghai) collided with the maintenance worker at 305+003m.
According to a report by “The Beijing News” on October 29th, passengers on the affected train D5515 stated that the two accidents occurred within less than 5 minutes of each other. Some passengers witnessed the scene after the maintenance worker was hit and reported it to onboard staff.
The above-mentioned source from China Railway Shanghai Group Co., Ltd., mentioned, “The maintenance worker who was hit was very young, just in his twenties, which is very unfortunate.” The specific details of the accident are still under investigation, and further assessments will follow to determine any liabilities.
A long-term railway safety regulator pointed out that high-speed railway tracks are closed tracks equipped with anti-intrusion devices. The presence of a wild boar on the high-speed mainline indicates a loophole in the protective system of that track. The subsequent investigation should provide conclusive results and prevent similar accidents in the future.
This incident has attracted significant attention online, with netizens raising concerns and criticisms. Some questioned the protocols in place, suggesting better coordination with dispatchers to understand neighboring train operations before taking action and ensuring strict safety regulations are followed when maintenance work is conducted.
It is emphasized that issues in management should be thoroughly addressed, and those responsible must be held accountable to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Many netizens expressed sympathy for the frontline worker and stressed the importance of prioritizing personal safety in such situations. They urged workers to safeguard themselves and emphasized that safety should always come first, even if it means a delay in train operations.