A rear-end collision took place today at around 2:30pm or 3pm at the Laoximen metro stop on Line 10 (some reports say Yuyuan Gardens Station, but we’re taking the most recent reports.) Due to a signal failure in Xintiandi Station, the trains reportedly had switched to manual control, which is where things went wrong.
We’re still waiting for clear info on exactly what happened, but one of the trains was reportedly sitting at Laoximen Station for 30 minutes before the collision happened.
The trains are both currently being evacuated through their front and back emergency exits. 10 people were reportedly injured, and some have already been taken to Riujin Hospital where emergency staff are on hand. While pictures are bloody, we’re hoping reports are true that the injuries were mild (bloody noses from being thrown around and such.)
They have currently shut down line 10 from Yilin Rd Station to North Sichuan Rd Station, and are advising that everybody adjust their travel plans accordingly.
We will keep you abreast of updates as we receive them.
Update 1 [5:15pm]: TV reports now state that there were 40 injuries in the accident, some say over half of those are serious. 500 passengers were evacuated from the station. Reports also state that the signaling system was made by the same company responsible for the faulty signal in the Wenzhou train crash. Watch live coverage of the online crash here.
Update 2 [5:20pm]: If you’re on Sina Weibo, follow @季法师 who’s providing updates and pictures on-site.
Update 3 [5:28pm]: In 2005, Zhu Xiaojie(朱效洁), the then director of security operations for Shanghai Metro, said that a rear end collision accident could never happen in Shanghai’s Metro, due to safety standards for traffic management, and the employment of the ATC Automatic Train Control system. The ATC system combined a variety of technologies to ensure that a safe driving interval would prevent accidents from happening. (h/t @Chassit via @MalcolmMoore, source here.)
Update 4 [5:32pm] According to the Shanghai Metro weibo, 32 people were treated at Changzheng hospital and 49 people at the 9th People’s Hospital. That puts the injured at least over 80, with some TV reports putting the number as high as 224.
Update 5 [5:44pm]: We’d like to remind you all that this isn’t the first time in recent months that Line 10 has seen problems (trains going in the wrong direction, platform doors shattering, and trains breaking down with all the doors shut and impossible to open from inside.)
Update 6 [5:48pm]: Shanghai Metro reports that the total number of injured passengers now stands at 212, with 3 seriously injured.
Update 7 [5:51pm]: Shanghai Metro announces that Train No. 16 has departed from the collision scene after some repairs. Work is now focused on the other train.
Update 8 [5:53pm]: Shanghai Metro Authorities released an apology on their Weibo, but have since deleted it:
“Today is a dark day in the history of Shanghai Metro operations. No matter the end cause or responsibility, we send our deepest apologies and regrets to our passengers who have experienced injury or loss… Our apologies pale in comparison to the significant damages occured today, but we send our deepest apologies nonetheless.”
“今天是上海地铁运营有史以来最黯淡的一天。无论最终原因和责任怎样，给市民乘客造成的伤害和损失尤感愧疚……再多致歉比起实际损害也显苍白，但还是要深深道歉。”
Update 9 [5:56pm]: Shanghai Party Secretary Yu Zhengsheng (俞正声) is already on his way to visit injured passengers at the Jiaotong University-affiliated Shanghai Number 9 People’s Hospital.
Update 10 [6:11pm]: According to multiple Chinese sources, Shanghai CASCO Signal Corporation (上海卡丝柯信号有限公司), the company that provided signals for Line 10, also provided the signal technology involved in the Wenzhou rail disaster. (h/t to @MrBaoPanrui)
Update 11 [6:13pm]: The Shanghai Municipal Transport and Port Authority has requested for 200 extra buses to ply the 40 bus routes along the affected portion of Metro Line 10 as well as the deployment of additional traffic police to ensure traffic continues to flow smoothly.
Update 12 [6:23pm]: Shanghai CASCO Signal Corporation China Railway Signal Communication Group (in a joint venture between China Railway Signal Corporation with French power and transport company Alstom) has installed signalling in five other Chinese cities besides Shanghai. Shanghai Metro’s Lines 1, 3, 4 and 10, along with other projects in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Changchun, Tianjin and Dalian subways, were all handled by CASCO. The cooperation between CASCO the CRSC Group and Alstom positioned the CASCO joint venture as the number one international enterprise in train signal technology in China. (h/t @DavidBarboza2 for Alstom link)
Update 13 [6:29pm]: CCTV says at least two foreigners were involved in the subway crash.
Update 14 [6:36pm]: Xinmin now reports that there were over 260 injuries and no casualties. From Xinmin: “At 2:10pm today, Line 10 experienced a signal failure at Xintiandi Station. Train speeds were slowed, and at 2:51pm a rear-end collision took place on the Yuyuan Station to Laoximen Station interval.”
Hongqiao Rd Station to Tiantong Station on line 9 have now been shut down for safety purposes.
Update 15 [6:45pm]: 20 people have been seriously injured, according to multiple sources, including Shanghai Daily and ifeng.com.
Update 16 [6:48pm]: Here’s the scene inside one of the trains shortly after the collision:
Update 17 [6:53pm]: Shanghai Metro has announced that Train No. 5 has also departed from the collision scene after repairs and that they’re looking to resume operations on Line 10 as soon as possible. Uh, seriously??
Update 18 [7:11pm]: According to SMG, all transfers to Line 10 have been temporarily halted.
Update 19 [7:23pm]: Shanghai Metro posts new apology:
“Operations on Line 10 are being gradually resumed and the cause of the accident is being investigated. No matter what the results are, we deeply regret the hurt and inconvenience we have caused everyone. We were touched by the scenes of passengers helping each other after the accident, and we take our hats off to the fire department and health department workers on the front line. We were in the wrong. Please believe us — we will improve!”
10号线运营正在逐步恢复，事故原因将进一步调查。无论最终原因和责任怎样，我们对乘客造成的伤害和损失深感愧疚，事故发生后，车厢里互救互助有序撤离的感人场景，让人倍感温暖，那些一路狂奔全力参与抢险的武警消防官兵和抢修队员，让人肃然起敬。我们做的不好，相信我们，一定会做好的！
Update 20 [7:28pm]: Here’s the first-hand account from a passenger on the rear train, interviewed on SMG TV (thanks to Jack Zhang for the translation):
“I was in the second train, on the last car, riding on the subway. Around 1:50pm the train stopped and stood still until almost 2:30pm. Then the crash happened, and the trains were stopped for 40 minutes! I called 110 after the hit, and nobody came after I called 110. After half an hour, we finally saw one guy arrive.”
Update 21 [7:35pm]: The afore-mentioned second apology has now been deleted from Shanghai Metro’s Sina Weibo account!
Update 22 [7:58pm]: Media are being prevented from talking to the 49 passengers at Number 9 People’s Hospital. When asking for comments from a metro employee, one journalist received the reply: “Didn’t the television report go out already?” (h/t @MrBaoPanrui)
