# Chinese Bullet Train Collision Leaves 35 Dead



## CarbonX13 (Jul 24, 2011)

In the first accident of China's high-speed rail network that launched in 2007, a bullet train has collided with another one, resulting in the deaths of 35 people, and 191 other injuries. One of the deceased was a foreigner. The collision was caused when one of the trains was struck by lightning, causing it to stall, resulting in the collision of the train from behind. Two of the first train's carriages were derailed, while four of the latter were as well, falling around 30 metres off the elevated track. The accident occurred around Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province. An estimated 1000 people have participated in rescue efforts.

China's bullet trains are capable of reaching a top speed of around 250km/h. However, the trains involved in the collision were first-generation trains capable of averaging only 150km/h. Power outages and other malfunctions have caused widespread criticism for the bullet train service, with many blaming officials behind the billion-dollar projects for corruption.[/p]




Source


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## adrian2040 (Jul 24, 2011)

One of the bullet trains were struck by lighting? What are the odds of that happening?


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## Slyakin (Jul 24, 2011)

Oh my god, this is terrible! It's nice to know that the main reason of the incident wasn't human error, however.

Bullet trains are carefully watched; Something like this rarely ever happens.


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## Nathan Drake (Jul 24, 2011)

adrian2040 said:
			
		

> One of the bullet trains were struck by lighting? What are the odds of that happening?



If it's about 1 in 280 for homes, I imagine something as big as a small home would rank near that.

http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_pls/probability.html


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## redact (Jul 24, 2011)

Nathan Drake said:
			
		

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a rapidly moving home, though?


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## Celice (Jul 24, 2011)

I'm sure there is practical protection against such an electiric and pressure spike.

I'm not sure people living by money would think it prudent to sacrifice some for safety.


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## Nathan Drake (Jul 24, 2011)

mercluke said:
			
		

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If it was in a lightly populated/inhabited area at the time of being struck, it would be more likely than usual.


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## fgghjjkll (Jul 24, 2011)

Did anyone think of Angel Beats! here?

On topic: It's good to know that people inside didn't die from an electric shock :C


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## Hyro-Sama (Jul 24, 2011)

Shit I have a friend in China right now.


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## machomuu (Jul 24, 2011)

Hyro-Sama said:
			
		

> Shit I have a friend in China right now.


China is gigantic and the chance that your friend was afflicted is very minute.


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## Nathan Drake (Jul 24, 2011)

Hyro-Sama said:
			
		

> Shit I have a friend in China right now.



That is the equivalent of saying: "Shit, there's a needle in a haystack." China is a really big country with lots of people. I'm sure your friend was likely nowhere near where the crash happened.


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## CarbonX13 (Jul 24, 2011)

Nathan Drake said:
			
		

> If it was in a lightly populated/inhabited area at the time of being struck, it would be more likely than usual.


Wenzhou City and its surrounding area (where the accident occurred) is populated by approximately 9,122,100 people, so it's definitely not lightly populated.


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## Nathan Drake (Jul 24, 2011)

CarbonX13 said:
			
		

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Out of a population of 1,339,724,852 people, I would call nine million lightly populated in terms of, well, China.
Just to note, that 9,122,100 isn't even 1% of the population.

Edit 2: Picta! Where the trains collided looks to be on the outskirts and not really next to any major structures. The train was a fairly large and obvious target for a lightning strike at that point in time.


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## Hyro-Sama (Jul 24, 2011)

machomuu said:
			
		

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Thank you for the reassurance.


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## Midna (Jul 24, 2011)

fgghjjkll said:
			
		

> Did anyone think of Angel Beats! here?
> 
> On topic: It's good to know that people inside didn't die from an electric shock :C


I certainly did.

Man, that show made me want to sign up as an organ donor, and to carry food and water rations on the subway


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## SamAsh07 (Jul 24, 2011)

That's sad, and kinda intriguing at the same time, lightning hitting exactly the first train.. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 worth a thought.


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## Celice (Jul 24, 2011)

SamAsh07 said:
			
		

> lightning hitting exactly the first train..
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NGnyfVjGqo[/youtube]
dundundunnnnnn

(lightning strikes down as fox news dude criticizes some other dude)


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## chris888222 (Jul 24, 2011)

My gosh. The train fell off from the bridge?

God bless all.


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## Joe88 (Jul 25, 2011)

alot of people are saying lightning didnt hit the train
china has ordered the trains to be destroyed and to have them buried claiming foreigners might steal national secrets from them (wtf?) 
its obvious they are trying to cover up the incident to prevent the real cause of the crash from being found out

I cant post the source as its a bit too "racy" for gbatemp


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## CarbonX13 (Jul 25, 2011)

Joe88 said:
			
		

> alot of people are saying lightning didnt hit the train
> china has ordered the trains to be destroyed and to have them buried claiming foreigners might steal national secrets from them (wtf?)
> its obvious they are trying to cover up the incident to prevent the real cause of the crash from being found out


The Chinese government nowadays is rather incapable of making up propaganda to its citizens and getting away from it. The excuse of foreigners stealing national secrets may have worked in the past, but definitely not in Chinese society today. Even if they wanted to make a cover-up story for the incident, they would've done it in a different way. Even if the crash was caused by human error, it doesn't really matter at this point. They already fired three senior officials in the Ministry of Transportation (which overlooks all railway projects in China as well), and the whole original story


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## Deleted member 473940 (Jul 25, 2011)

Wow thats sad.
I first thought, they probably used cheap material causing damage to track or something..
but, by lightning o.o


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