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Holiday crash death toll prompts safety concerns
Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2013-2-3 20:35:00
| Editor's Note |
Five road accidents on February 1 and February 2 have claimed 58 lives as hundreds of millions of Chinese journeyed home amid the Spring Festival travel rush that started last week.
These accidents occurred as China's transportation sector gears up for the Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, the most important occasion for family reunions that falls on February 10 this year.
However, speeding, overloading and bad driving habits compounded with poor road conditions, especially in some mountainous regions, often lead to a rash of road accidents around this time of the year.
| Latest News |
| Police detain four after Henan highway blast Police have detained four people over a truck explosion that caused 10 deaths and a viaduct collapse in Central China's Henan Province, government authorities confirmed on February 3. |
| Official says collapsed viaduct in central China up to standards The partially collapsed viaduct in Henan Province was up to the standards and had passed latest quality test, an official with the provincial transportation authorities said on February 2. |
| Death toll rises to 18 in NW China bus crash Eighteen people have been confirmed dead and 34 others injured in a bus accident in Gansu Province after more bodies were recovered from the wreckage, government sources said on February 2. |
| China urges tougher control of fireworks The Ministry of Public Security has ordered tougher controls against illegal fireworks production, trade and transport after a fireworks-loaded truck exploded on a central China expressway on the morning of February 1. |
| Road Accidents |
Specs of five road crashes on February 1 and February 2, 2013:
| Time |
Places | Casualties | Causes |
| 9 am, February 2, 2013 | on a mountain road in Daxin county, South China'sGuangxiZhuang Autonomous Region | seven killed and 12 injured |
An overloaded vehicle tumbled down a 30-meter-deep ravine on the mountain road. |
| February 2, 2013 |
in Congjiang county, some 450 km southeast Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou Province |
12 killed and 22 injured |
An overloaded coach turned over and crashed along a 100-meter slope. |
| 22 pm, February 1, 2013 |
near the Ningxian county, Qingyang, Northwest China's GansuProvince |
18 killed and 32 injured |
A bus fell into a ravine and caught fire. |
| 17:30 pm, February 1, 2013 |
Gulin county, Luzhou, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province |
11 killed and 18 injured |
A coach carrying 29 people flipped over into a 100-meter-deep slope. |
| 9 am, Februray 1, 2013 |
at the northern section of the Yichang expressway in Mianchi county, Sanmenxia, Central China's Henan Province |
10 killed, 11 injured |
A firecracker-laden truck exploded on the bridge. |
More about the bridge collapse in Henan:
Photos:
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Death toll from the expressway viaduct collapse on February 1 in Henan Province has risen to 10, and an initial investigation has indicated that the collapse was caused by an explosion involving a fireworks-laden truck. Eleven other people were also injured in the accident, which occurred around 9:00 am on a 30-meter-high viaduct in Mianchi county, Sanmenxia, about 193 km west of the provincial capital of Zhengzhou. |
Photos:
More photos>>>
Five dead, 8 injured after expressway bridge collapses in China
About the collapse causes:| Henan Provincial Transportation Department | Li Qiang, chief engineer of Henan Provincial Transportation Department, told Xinhua reporters that the bridge had passed biennially and monthly inspections and wasup to the standards of the national expressway viaduct. |
| Police | The truck did not have a permit to transport hazardous materials. And the firecrackers were to be delivered to a department store from Shaanxi Province. |
| Experts | Li Daguang, a professor and expert in army facilities from the National Defense University of the People's Liberation Army A load of fireworks would be powerful enough to tear the viaduct into pieces, and in certain circumstances, could even potentially destroy a house. Wang Baixing, China's renowned bomb-disposal expert: The crucial reason was that the explosion occurred on special part of the viaduct, blowing off the upper structure of the bridge and pulling down one of its piers. |
| Firefighter | It was probably a crash involving several vehicles due to theheavy fog on February 1 that caused the firecrackers to explode. |
Responses:| The Ministry of Public Security | Safety control measures regarding fireworks as well as the ongoing Spring Festival travel rush should be fully carried out to ensure people have a happy holiday season. |
| Local officials in Henan | Local officials launched emergency plans to divert traffic flows to nearby roads to minimize the impact brought about by the accident. |
| Zhengzhou Railway Bureau | Zhengzhou railway bureau had added eight more temporary trains to ease the traffic burden. |
More related news>>>Investigation begins as bridge collapse takes deadly toll
Bridge accident deaths rise to 10, 4 arrested
Fatal bridge collapse blamed on fireworks blast
Ministry team sent to probe expressway collapse
Expressway bridge collapses after explosion, 9 confirmed dead
8 dead, 13 injured in expressway viaduct collapse
Highway bridge collapses in central China after vehicle blast, casualties unclear
| Media Comments |
The Xinhua News Agency carried a commentary on February 2, saying that safety awareness should not be raised at the expense of deaths.
Issues such as the condition of long-distance buses, drivers training and overloaded trucks are integral to overall road safety, all of which deeply affect and concern our families and friends.
According to Xinhua, the number of bus passengers will reach 3.1 billion during the holiday, making up around 90 percent of total passenger volume during the peak travel period.
“Along with the increasing transportation demands and bad weather, highway safety is looking very grim,” read the article, which urged governments to double check the credentials of transportation companies and drivers as well as the safety conditions of buses.
“Road safety watchdogs should also implement traffic control measures in case of any snow or dense fog.”
The Jiangsu-based Modern Express also called for greater efforts from the government to ensure that every traveler is able to get home safely during the Spring Festival.
Issues such as the condition of long-distance buses, drivers training and overloaded trucks are integral to overall road safety, all of which deeply affect and concern our families and friends.
According to Xinhua, the number of bus passengers will reach 3.1 billion during the holiday, making up around 90 percent of total passenger volume during the peak travel period.
“Along with the increasing transportation demands and bad weather, highway safety is looking very grim,” read the article, which urged governments to double check the credentials of transportation companies and drivers as well as the safety conditions of buses.
“Road safety watchdogs should also implement traffic control measures in case of any snow or dense fog.”
The Jiangsu-based Modern Express also called for greater efforts from the government to ensure that every traveler is able to get home safely during the Spring Festival.
| Bridge Collapses |
Aug 24, 2012: Yangmingtan Bridge, Harbin, NE China's Heilongjiang Province
Aug 8, 2012: East Guangchang River Bridge, Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province
Jul 2, 2012: A viaduct in construction, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
Jun 18, 2012:West River-crossing Bridge of Yueya Island, Fushun, Liaoning Province
May 13, 2012: Pingjiang Bridge, Yueyang, Hunan Province
Jul 19, 2011: Baihe Bridge, Huairou district, Beijing
Jul 15, 2011:The Third Qiantang River Bridge, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
Apr 12, 2011:Kongqi River Bridge, Korla, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Aug 27 2009: A stone bridge under construction, Shaanxi Province
Aug 13, 2007:Tuojiang Bridge, Fenghuang county, Hunan Province
Jun 15, 2007: Jiujiang Bridge, Foshan, Guangdong Province
Aug 8, 2012: East Guangchang River Bridge, Fuzhou, Jiangxi Province
Jul 2, 2012: A viaduct in construction, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
Jun 18, 2012:West River-crossing Bridge of Yueya Island, Fushun, Liaoning Province
May 13, 2012: Pingjiang Bridge, Yueyang, Hunan Province
Jul 19, 2011: Baihe Bridge, Huairou district, Beijing
Jul 15, 2011:The Third Qiantang River Bridge, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province
Apr 12, 2011:Kongqi River Bridge, Korla, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Aug 27 2009: A stone bridge under construction, Shaanxi Province
Aug 13, 2007:Tuojiang Bridge, Fenghuang county, Hunan Province
Jun 15, 2007: Jiujiang Bridge, Foshan, Guangdong Province
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