A train approaches a Tokyo station in 2014. On Thursday, four workers pulling weeds were killed by a train in Japan. File photo by Franck Robichon/EPA
Aug. 20 (UPI) — Four men working on railroad tracks were killed when they were hit by a train at a station in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, Thursday.
The men were in their 50s and 60s, and were removing weeds when the collision happened at about 10:45 a.m. at Shin-Kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line, police and the Tobu Railway Co. said. No one on the train was injured.
There were seven people weeding. Three of them were uninjured.
The Spacia X2, a six-car limited-express train, which was heading to Asakusa in Tokyo, was planning to stop at Shin-Kanuma Station. It was approaching the platform when it hit the men, Tobu Railway said. There were about 50 p***engers on the train, and the Tobu Nikko line was partially suspended after the event.
Kyodo News said that when people work on train tracks, there is supposed to be a designated lookout to alert workers of oncoming trains, the company said. Once the lookout has confirmed that the workers are clear, they are supposed to alert the train with a flag, and the driver must acknowledge them by sounding the horn.
The driver sounded the horn after seeing the flag signal, but the rail company can’t yet confirm if the lookout properly alerted the workers, company officials said at a press conference.
