ITD accepts responsibility after crane collapse kills 31 in Korat
Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) has issued an official statement expressing condolences and accepting responsibility following a fatal crane collapse that struck a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Tuesday morning, January 14.
The incident occurred at about 9am in Sikhiu district, where a construction crane from the elevated Bangkok–Nong Khai high-speed railway project collapsed onto a Bangkok–Ubon Ratchathani passenger train as it was passing through the area. The impact sparked a fire, trapping passengers inside the train’s carriages.
The train driver, who narrowly survived the crash, told reporters the train consisted of three carriages and was carrying around 200 passengers travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani. He said the crane struck the second carriage directly, igniting the blaze.
Despite being injured and badly shaken, the driver managed to assist passengers escaping from the first and third carriages. However, intense flames and thick smoke prevented him and rescue teams from accessing the second carriage, where most of the victims were later found.
According to the latest updates from ThaiRath, the death toll has risen to 31, with at least 65 passengers injured. Naewna reported that 19 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage, while nine sets of remains remain trapped inside the heavily damaged carriage.
Among the injured are eight people in critical condition, including a one-year-old girl who suffered severe head and arm injuries and a fractured leg. The oldest injured passenger is reported to be 85 years old. ThaiRath also reported that 10 construction workers were at the site at the time of the collapse, with one worker still missing.
Search and rescue operations have been temporarily suspended as engineers and structural specialists assess the safety of the site to ensure conditions are secure for rescuers.
Authorities have set up a command centre to assist families seeking information about missing or injured relatives. Police are continuing to collect evidence at the scene as part of an investigation into the cause of the crane collapse.
Later in the afternoon, ITD posted a statement on its official Facebook page expressing sympathy and accepting responsibility.
“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 statement said.
