Japan Tobu Group Firm Searched over Fatal Train Accident

Nikko, Tochigi Pref., Aug. 23 (Jiji Press)–Japanese police Sunday searched a group company of Tobu Railway Co. over Thursday’s train accident in Tochigi Prefecture that resulted in the deaths of four workers. The Tochigi prefectural police searched the general affairs department office of Tobu Construction Co. in the Tochigi city of Nikko on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in death. The search lasted three and a half hours from 9 a.m., and about 30 items, including documents related to safety management and contracts with Tobu Railway, were seized, police officials said. The police also searched two other business bases of Tobu Construction. Around 10:45 a.m. Thursday, a Spacia X limited express train operated by Tobu Railway hit four men in their 50s to 60s involved in weed removal work around the tracks at Shin-Kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line in Kanuma, leaving all of the four dead. According to Tobu Railway, the work was contracted to Tobu Construction. Of the four, one was a worker of Tobu Construction, while the other three were not. A total of 10 people from four companies were at the site, including a Tobu Construction employee who led the work. The train driver recognized a signal that the evacuation of workers was complete, although some remained around the tracks, according to Tobu Railway. At the time of the accident, three lookouts were stationed, the railway company said. Of them, the one for approaching trains positioned about 80 meters from the accident site was responsible for confirming the completion of evacuation and giving a signal. A “relay” lookout tasked to signal when the train comes within about 500 meters was also set to be deployed, but this lookout said he was in a situation where communication with the train lookout was not possible. The train driver sounded the horn upon seeing a signal from the train lookout, the driver told Tobu Railway. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]