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China Bullet Train Crash Kills 32

It loses power after lightning strike

By the Associated Press

Posted Jul 23, 2011 1:00 PM CDT

(AP) – A Chinese bullet train crashed into another high-speed train that had stalled after being struck by lightning today in eastern China, causing four carriages to fall off a viaduct and killing at least 32 people and injuring 191 others, state media reported. The first train was traveling from the Zhejiang provincial capital of Hangzhou when the accident occurred in Wenzhou city, reported Xinhua. The cars plunged at least 65 feet.

The trains involved are "D" trains, the first-generation bullet train with an average speed of about 95 miles per hour, not as fast as the new Beijing-Shanghai line. China has spent billions of dollars and plans more massive spending to link the country with a high-speed rail network.

Emergency workers work to help passengers from the wreckage of train in east China's Zhejiang province Saturday.
Emergency workers work to help passengers from the wreckage of train in east China's Zhejiang province Saturday.   (STR)
Emergency workers work to help passengers from the wreckage of train in east China's Zhejiang province Saturday.
Emergency workers work to help passengers from the wreckage of train in east China's Zhejiang province Saturday.   (STR)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 8 comments
carson
Jul 24, 2011 11:55 AM CDT
china seems to be trying to make all the right moves...im sorry to see this happen to them...as far as high speed rail in america...id go small...the size of a couple of city buses ...built low to ride the existing rails as much as possible...a diesel engine could push it...small affordable and easier to stop and to accelerate...it must operate profitably without subsidy
crafter67
Jul 23, 2011 1:06 PM CDT
considering how fast the bullet trains go - I would think 16 is a relatively low number and speaks pretty well for the safety measures on China's trains

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

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