Beijing’s transport department on Friday said 515 people were sent to hospital, where more than 100 of them were found to have bone fractures, after two trains collided on the city’s Changping metro line.

The department said the incident – which saw two carriages detached from the rest of a train on Thursday evening – happened when two trains collided on an outdoor downhill section of the line. It explained the collision occurred during snowfall, and one train was unable to brake in time.

It added that as of 6am on Friday, 423 people had left the hospital.

The incident happened between the stations of Xi’erqi and Life Science Park just north of city centre. The section where the incident occurred remained closed on Friday.

Writing on its Weibo account earlier on Friday, Beijing Subway said shuttle buses will transport passengers between the closed section of the line. The firm also encouraged passengers to take the bus if they plan to travel downtown.

To enhance train operation safety under extreme weather conditions, it added, train drivers have adopted “manual driving modes” and have reduced train speeds. Train frequencies have also been reduced.

The incident occurred as a cold wave hit the capital. There was snowfall from Wednesday and temperatures were as low as -6 degrees Celsius on Thursday night.

The company has apologised to those affected, adding that anyone who feels unwell can contact the company for help, and that it will cover the medical costs for those injured.
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Last updated: 2023-12-15 HKT 13:19