ITD accepts responsibility after crane collapse kills 31 in Korat
Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) issued an official statement expressing condolences and accepting responsibility following a crane collapse that struck a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Tuesday morning, January 14.
The fatal incident occurred at around 9am when a construction crane from the elevated Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway project collapsed onto the Bangkok–Ubon Ratchathani passenger train as it passed through the Sikhiu district. The impact caused a fire to break out, trapping passengers inside the train’s carriages.
The train driver, who narrowly survived the crash, told the media that the train consisted of three carriages and was carrying approximately 200 passengers travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani. According to his account, the collapsed crane struck the second carriage directly, triggering the blaze.
Despite being injured and severely shaken, the driver managed to help evacuate passengers from the first and third carriages. However, flames and smoke prevented him and rescue teams from accessing the second carriage, where the majority of fatalities were later found.
As of the latest update on ThaiRath, the death toll has risen to 31, with at least 65 passengers injured. Naewna reported that 19 bodies were successfully recovered from the wreckage, while nine sets of remains are still trapped inside the damaged carriage.
Among the injured, eight victims are reportedly in critical condition, including a one year old girl who sustained severe injuries to her head and arms, along with a fractured leg. The oldest injured passenger is reported to be 85 years old.
ThaiRath also reported that 10 construction workers were present at the site when the collapse occurred, with one worker currently reported missing.
Search and rescue operations is temporarily suspended as engineers and structural specialists conduct safety assessments to ensure the area is secure for rescuers.
Authorities established a command centre to assist families seeking information about missing or injured relatives. Police continue to gather evidence at the scene to determine the cause of the crane collapse.
Later in the afternoon, the official Facebook page of Italian-Thai Development, the main contractor for the project, released a formal statement saying…
“Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited expresses its deepest condolences for the loss of life and injuries resulting from the construction crane accident that occurred in Sikhiu district, Nakhon Ratchasima province.
The company takes full responsibility and will provide compensation and relief to the families of the deceased and medical care to the injured. The company is also ready to support all relevant authorities in resolving the situation and restoring normalcy as quickly as possible.”
Bangkokbiznews reported that the project is jointly supervised by ITD and China Railway Engineering Corporation. The two companies previously worked together on the construction of the Office of the Auditor General building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, which collapsed in March last year.
