CHACHOENGSAO, Aug 5 (TNA) – A tragic incident happened after a man drove a pick-up truck taking the workers to a fish farm hit a train.
The driver said he saw a train heading towards them, but one of the workers on the back of the truck urged him to cross the track in front of the train, which he did, hoping that he would make it safely. Unfortunately, the truck was hit by the train, killing eight people.
The incident occurred at a railway crossing in the provincial seat of Chachoengsao province. At the scene, a freight train No. 833, with its engine still running, was on the rail track.
The train, which was carrying containers filled with flour, was en route from Lat Krabang inland container depot to the Laem Chabang Port.
Beside the track were eight bodies of five men and three women. Three people were injured and they were rushed to Buddhasothorn Hospital after receiving first aid.
A heavily damaged pick-up truck was found nearby and the pick-up driver, Wichai Yulek, 55, was waiting to give information to the police.
He told police that he was taking a group of workers from Wat Buaroy in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district to a fish farm in Udom Cholachorn canal. According to Mr. Wichai, as he approached the railway crossing, he noticed a warning light signalling the incoming train. However, a passenger told him to go ahead. So he attempted to drive across the rail track but failed. The train collided into the back of the pick-up, propelling it into a ditch. The workers who seated at the back of the vehicle were thrown out of the vehicle in different directions by the force of the collision.
A miraculous survivor, Surapat Prasop, 20, who was among the workers travelling in the pick-up, told the tragic moment that before he incident other workers were still in the vehicle and asleep but he decided to jump off the vehicle upon seeing the approaching train with high speed.
Wichian Saengthapson, the owner of the fish farm, said he was at the farm when the incident was occurred. He heard warning signals from the train several times, but has no idea that this would lead to an accident that killed eight workers he has hired.
On Friday morning, the bodies of the eight workers were taken by the rescuers to Chachoengsao provincial police station for finger printings and waiting to sent the bodies to the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Police General Hospital for the autopsy.
Police Colonel Satit Mitrak, superintendent of Chachoengsao provincial police station summons Wichai Yulek, the driver of the pickup truck, for questioning. The investigators have not yet charge him, waiting for the medical report from doctors who treat the injured workers. However, the police prepared to charge him with reckless driving that causes the fatal accident. (TNA)
