Four workers died after a limited express train struck them while they were clearing weeds from the tracks at Shin-Kanuma Station, north of Tokyo, authorities reported.
The collision took place around 10:46 local time (01:46 GMT). When emergency crews arrived, three workers were trapped beneath the moving train and a fourth was found on the platform.
Service on the Tobu Nikko Line was halted immediately after the crash. Railway officials said the train involved was a limited express model, one of Japan’s fastest lines after the Shinkansen.
A passenger who was aboard at the time heard a strange noise before the train abruptly stopped and was unable to disembark for a short period while staff investigated the sound.
Normally, workers on railway tracks have employees stationed nearby to warn them of approaching trains. The circumstances that led to the incident this Thursday morning remain unclear, according to the Asahi Shimbun.
Fatal train collisions are rare in Japan, a country known for its extensive and highly regulated railway system, raising concerns about occupational safety on the network.
