2 dead, 5 injured after train hits railway workers in Cheongdo

Investigators from the police, fire department and Korail examine the tracks where a train hit seven railway workers, killing two in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, on Aug. 19. (Yonhap)

Two workers were confirmed dead and five others injured after a train struck a group of railway maintenance personnel conducting post-flood safety inspections along the Gyeongbu Line in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, on Tuesday morning, according to authorities.

The incident occurred around 10:50 a.m. near a bullfighting stadium in Cheongdo, when Mugunghwa Train No. 1903, en route from Dongdaegu Station to Jinju, hit seven workers on or near the tracks. The victims were part of a team inspecting slope structures damaged during recent torrential rains in the region.

Of the seven workers hit, two died at the scene. The five survivors were transported to hospitals, including Dongguk University Hospital in Gyeongju, Saemyeong Hospital in Gyeongsan, and Andong Hospital, with some reported to be in critical condition. The two deceased workers were taken to Daenam Hospital in Cheongdo.

The injured include six subcontracted workers from structural safety inspection firms and one Korea Railroad Corporation employee. The two fatalities were both from subcontracted firms.

The train was carrying 89 passengers, none of whom were reported to have sustained injuries.

Korail stated that the workers were en route to visually inspect flood-damaged infrastructure when the accident occurred.

“Due to heavy rainfall in the Cheongdo area in recent days, safety inspections were being carried out,” a Korail spokesperson said, adding that the exact sequence of events leading up to the collision remains under investigation.

Authorities noted that the accident occurred just after a curved section of track with poor visibility, which may have prevented the train driver from spotting the workers in time. The train involved was an electric model that produces relatively low noise, possibly making it more difficult for workers to detect its approach.

Police are focusing on whether necessary safety precautions under the Railroad Safety Act were followed, including the presence of spotters and advance coordination with train operations.

Investigators are also questioning the employers and worksite supervisors responsible for the inspection team, as well as examining whether evacuation signals functioned properly at the time.

Some experts are raising concerns that this was a preventable accident and may constitute a case of managerial negligence. According to field norms, workers typically move along the track bed, not the rails, when relocating between inspection points.

In this case, the workers were walking close to the rails when they were struck from behind, which is being scrutinized as a possible safety protocol failure.

As of 12:44 p.m., the train resumed its journey, but both northbound and southbound services were temporarily restricted to a single track for the investigation. By 2 p.m., six KTX trains were delayed by 20 to 50 minutes, and 12 conventional trains were delayed by 20 to 60 minutes.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport dispatched a response team of railway safety officers and investigators to the site, pledging a thorough probe and strict penalties under a zero-tolerance policy if violations are found.

Separately, the Daegu Regional Employment and Labor Office has launched a formal investigation into potential violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. The office has halted operations at the site and formed a task force, including teams for industrial accident prevention and construction oversight.