On May 12th, another train accident occurred in Guanmenyan Village, Yongding District, Zhangjiajie, Hunan, resulting in the unfortunate death of one person. The Jiaoliu Railway passes through the village and has seen multiple train accidents over the years. Last month, a 15-year-old disabled girl tragically lost her life after being hit by a train on the Jiaoliu Line that passed through the village, becoming the 18th victim. Mainland Chinese media have raised questions about this tragic incident.
According to reports from Red Star News, local residents near the scene stated that the incident happened around noon on the 12th, and the deceased, who appeared to be around 60 years old, was struck on a railway bridge on the Jiaoliu Railway. Villagers also mentioned that the section of the Jiaoliu Railway where the incident occurred has experienced multiple train accidents over the years.
In a previous report by Jiemian News, on April 6th, a train accident occurred in Songjiawan Village, Yongding District, Zhangjiajie City, Hunan, where 15-year-old disabled girl Song Yuying lost her life after being hit by a train on the Jiaoliu Line as she passed through the village. Investigations revealed that at least 17 people had been fatally struck by trains on the Jiaoliu Railway in the Songjiawan Village section over the years, with the youngest victim being only 1 and a half years old.
Villagers have expressed a desire to relocate due to safety concerns, but the village committee has stated that residential land use cannot be changed easily.
On May 13th, Tencent News reported that the mother of the deceased girl spoke out on the evening of the 12th, saying, “My daughter has a severe intellectual disability and has very poor eyesight. The response we received from the railway station staff was simple, offering a maximum compensation of 90,000 yuan, suggesting legal proceedings if not satisfied. I cannot accept this compensation.”
Recently, the incident of “19 deaths caused by the Jiaoliu Railway passing through the village” has sparked public attention.
The railway winding through the village has tragically turned into what villagers refer to as the “death curve”… The loss of 19 lives serves as a heavy lesson. Media reports have highlighted that the victims in these incidents primarily include elderly individuals, children, and disabled individuals.
Questioning from Upstream News poses five key questions: Why must trains pass through the village? Why are the consequences so severe? Does the local area have sufficient safety measures in place? Why isn’t the railway area closed off? How can railway accidents be prevented effectively?
The report mentions that among the 17 victims, besides local residents, there were also outsiders who had been fatally struck by trains. A few years ago when the village was constructing the Qianzhangchang Railway, a young man from out of town came to the railway construction site looking for work. He was sitting near the entrance of tunnel No. 1 at Laoyakou drinking when a train emerged from the tunnel, dragging him under it for over 100 meters before he died.
The Jiaoliu Railway is a mountainous railway that intersects the transitional zone between China’s second and third-tier cities, with its route characterized by a “leaning on the mountain, concealing” design. Due to the terrain constraints in the mountainous area, the railway in the Songjiawan Village spans 1.5 kilometers, featuring 4 curved tracks, and 2 sections passing through mountain tunnels. Villagers believe that the frequent train accidents in the village are partly due to these curves and the obstructed view caused by trees along the route. In addition, the inconsistency of train horn signals and the fast speed of the trains leave little time for people to react once they notice the trains approaching.
A particular stretch at K952+480 on the railway near Group 3 of Songjiawan Village features a curved section about a hundred meters long. Villagers recall that at least 8 individuals have been fatally struck in this specific area, earning it the ominous title of the “death curve” among locals.
Villager Song Fucu’s house is situated right by the “death curve,” with small pieces of coal often falling in front of his door. In the past, the strong vibrations from passing trains would frequently dislodge roof tiles from his house. He has witnessed several instances where villagers were fatally struck on the curve. Even his brother-in-law, who was sitting at the edge of the curve to cool off in the summer, tragically lost his life after being hit by a train.
Many villagers’ homes are closely bordered by the railway on both sides, with some houses’ entrances facing directly towards the tracks, requiring villagers to cross the railway when leaving their homes. This unique layout creates a cohabitation pattern of houses and the railway. Furthermore, while most villagers reside downhill, nearly half of their farmland is located uphill, leading to accidents occurring as individuals commute between these areas. Despite the presence of a bridge tunnel for pedestrians and vehicles, its remote location compels villagers to find crossing the railway tracks to be a quicker option.
Tragic train accidents resulting in injuries and fatalities continue along other sections of the Jiaoliu Railway. As reported by Tuanjie News in 2011, the section from Jishou Station to Jishou South Station on the Jiaoliu Railway in Hunan has witnessed frequent railway traffic safety accidents, with 65 incidents occurring and over 70 casualties reported between 2007 to 2010.
On the evening of May 12th, the “Zhangjiajie in Your Hand” WeChat public account released a statement mentioning recent media reports on multiple fatalities caused by individuals crossing the railway and being struck by trains in the section from Hejiacun to Zhangjiajie North District on the Jiaoliu Railway, particularly in the Songjiawan Village area. In response, the Zhangjiajie Engineering Section of the China Railway Guangzhou Group Corporation stated that the reports by the media were accurate. The Songjiawan Village section has witnessed several fatal incidents involving individuals straying onto the railway outside designated areas.