Four railway workers die after being struck by limited-express train in Tochigi

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Four railway workers died after being struck by a limited-express train at a Tobu Nikko Line station in the city of Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture, Tobu Railway said Thursday.

Authorities received an emergency call at around 10:45 a.m. saying that workers had been hit by a train. Four men in their 50s to 60s were taken to hospital and were confirmed dead.

The railway company said the Spacia X2, a six-car limited-express train from Tobu Nikko Station bound for Tobu Asakusa Station in Tokyo, hit the workers, who were weeding on railroad tracks at Shin-Kanuma Station.

Three of them were found on railroad tracks and one on a train platform after the accident and police are investigating the details.

A total of seven workers, including the four hit by the train, had been performing the work, the company said.

None of the around 50 passengers on the train were injured, Tobu Railway said.

Train services were temporarily suspended between Shin-Tochigi and Shimo-Imaichi stations following the accident but were resumed at 3:22 p.m., the company said.

Translated by The Japan Times