Desk Correspondent , Thailand - A horrific construction accident in northeastern Thailand on Wednesday morning has left at least 22 people dead and dozens more injured after a massive crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train. The incident occurred at approximately 9:05 AM local time in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 km from Bangkok. The crane, which was being used for a $5.4-billion Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project, toppled over and struck three carriages of the train bound for Ubon Ratchathani, causing a violent derailment and sparking a fire in one of the coaches.

Rescue operations are currently underway as emergency responders use hydraulic cutters to reach passengers trapped within the mangled metal of the train’s carriages. Local police chief Thatchapon Chinnawong confirmed the mounting death toll, while the Thai government’s Public Relations Department reported that at least 30 to 70 people have sustained injuries, many of them critical. Eyewitnesses described hearing a "loud sliding noise" followed by two explosions as the crane crushed the second and third coaches, which were carrying a significant portion of the 195 passengers on board.

Transport Minister Piphat Ratchakitprakan has ordered an immediate high-level investigation into the failure of the crane’s support structure. Early reports suggest the crane was working on an elevated bridge segment when it lost balance, though authorities are also looking into potential safety protocol lapses at the construction site. As the fire has been brought under control, the focus remains on the grim task of body recovery and providing medical aid to the survivors, many of whom are being treated at nearby hospitals in Nakhon Ratchasima.