A collision between two subway trains during rush hour in Beijing has resulted in 102 people sustaining broken bones, according to Chinese state media.
The incident occurred around 19:00 local time on Thursday on the Changping subway line, with more than 500 individuals being sent to hospitals.
As of Friday morning, 423 people have been discharged.
The collision happened amid heavy snowfall, creating slippery tracks due to snowstorms.
Beijing transport authorities mentioned a “signal degradation” caused by the weather, leading the first train to abruptly brake.
The second train, navigating the icy tracks, couldn’t stop in time and collided with the first, causing the last two carriages of one train to detach.
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Due to power cuts, online images and videos depicted commuters trapped in dark carriages.
Some passengers used emergency hammers to break windows for fresh air.
A woman who appeared to have fainted in a Weibo clip lay across several seats.
Currently, 67 people remain in the hospital for treatment, while 25 are under observation, fortunately with no reported fatalities.
Chinese netizens expressed shock at the number of injuries and criticized the subway’s maintenance practices on social media.
Beijing Subway, owned by the municipal government, runs 27 subway and rail lines in the city.
The company apologized for the incident and pledged to cover medical expenses for the injured.
Due to the extreme weather, the subway operator announced manual mode for trains above ground and widened intervals between them.
The affected subway line section, spanning three stations, was closed on Friday. Beijing Subway urged precautions as snowfall disrupted the city’s road, rail, and air transport.
Meteorological authorities warned of a temperature drop of 8C to 12C in most parts of China from Thursday through Sunday, with temperatures in Beijing possibly dipping below -20C.
Some cities suspended train services and closed schools in response to the weather conditions
