11 railway workers killed as test train hits crew in Yunnan, China

Eleven railway workers were killed and two others injured after a test train struck a work crew in China’s Yunnan province early Thursday, state media reported.

The crash happened at Luoyangzhen Station in Kunming when Test Train No. 55537, which was checking seismic equipment, hit workers who had stepped onto a curved section of track. The impact was severe and left little time for those on the ground to react.

Rescue teams from local and railway authorities were sent to the site within minutes. Emergency crews worked through the morning, and normal station operations were restored shortly after. The injured workers were taken to hospital and are receiving treatment.

Kunming’s railway authority posted a message of condolence on social media, offering sympathy to the families of the victims. Officials said the cause of the crash is now under investigation.

Authorities added that anyone found responsible will face action in line with the law. China Central Television reported that both the local railway bureau and the Kunming city government activated emergency protocols immediately after the incident.

A formal inquiry is underway to determine how the workers came to be on the track and what led to the fatal collision.