The Deputy Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima rushed to the site of the "crane falling on the train" incident, setting up an incident command post and coordinating with the victims' families. He urged the public not to travel to the area yet to ease the work of the authorities. Meanwhile, a vendor described hearing the loud clang of metal.
On 14 January 2026, a special express train, diesel railcar No. 21, departing from Bangkok Apiwat Station bound for Ubon Ratchathani, was struck by a crane lifting a large concrete component used in high-speed railway construction. The crane fell onto the train near railway kilometer marker 220, post 9, Moo 11, Ban Thanon Kot, Sikhio Subdistrict, Sikhio District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. This caused three diesel railcar carriages to derail and catch fire. The first and second carriages were crushed by large concrete beams and caught fire, resulting in injuries and fatalities. The third carriage was damaged by a collapsed steel beam. Initial reports confirmed 22 deaths and over 50 injuries; all injured were urgently transported to various hospitals, while uninjured individuals were moved to safe areas.
Later, at around 11:35 a.m., a tense situation occurred when part of the crane remaining above the site began to shift and tremble. This prompted officials working on the scene to flee in panic. Authorities quickly announced that all unrelated persons must evacuate the area.
Preliminary information indicates that the crane operated with a hydraulic system and residual oil remained during the collapse, causing the crane to continue moving.
Mr. Dao Boonpanya, a passenger, said he was on the train coming from Don Mueang, heading to Si Sa Ket Province with three carriages. He was asleep during the journey until reaching the accident site, where he heard the crane fall onto the train roof. Then the locomotive pulled on the crane cable, causing the carriage to derail.
A railway construction worker recounted that the crane used for the high-speed rail project broke and fell just as the train arrived, causing the second and third carriages to catch on the crane and derail.
Ms. Jai, a noodle vendor near the accident site, described her panic, saying that while selling as usual, she noticed the crane was bent out of shape. Shortly after, she heard the loud clang of metal before the crane lost balance and slid down, hitting the speeding train with a tremendous noise that echoed throughout the area.
"At first, I thought no train was coming. I just prayed silently that no one would be injured or killed because the sound was terrifying," she said.
Another local resident, Mrs. Took, said she did not see the moment the crane hit the train directly but heard a loud explosion from the impact. She rushed out to find an accident had occurred, causing great shock among the nearby residents, as such an incident had never happened before.
Meanwhile, Mr. Ballang Waisiri, Deputy Governor of Nakhon Ratchasima, assigned by Governor Anupong Suksamanit to command the operation, told reporters that anyone who is a relative or acquaintance should contact the medical coordination center at phone number 065-506-6499. An incident command post has been set up about 50 meters from the accident site.
He urged the public not to travel to the accident site to facilitate the authorities’ work and to follow updates through the media or watch news at home. The provincial engineer will discuss with the construction contractor measures to prevent such incidents from happening again, as the railway normally runs beneath the high-speed rail structure.