Chiayi prosecutors opened yesterday an investigation into the series of derailments on the Alishan (阿里山)mountain railway.
A train derailed again on Sunday afternoon following two previous derailments on March 30 and April 1.
The Alishan railway authority immediately suspended operations after Sunday’s incident, which involved a train with about 120 passengers on board.
PHOTO: CNA
Chiayi prosecutor Wang Chuan-cheng (王全成) led a team yesterday to inspect the site of Sunday’s incident, which occurred 61km from the station in Chiayi City.
Wang told reporters that preliminary investigations showed the incidents were not the result of human tampering with the tracks, adding that investigators were trying to determine whether negligence in maintenance of the trains and railway may have been the cause.
Wang said he had received the maintenance records of the trains and railway.
He said that charges could be brought under the Criminal Code’s “malfeasance in office” offense if the investigation unveiled serious negligence.
The Alishan railway authorities shortened the length of the trains from eight to five carriages following the first two derailments.
Both occurred just after the trains had left Chiaoliping (交力坪) Station.
Preliminary investigations into the incidents showed that slippery tracks had most likely caused the derailments.
The Alishan Railway Station in Chiayi City was just reopened in September after years of reconstruction following damage sustained during the Sept. 21 earthquake in 1999.
The railway starts in Chiayi City and meanders through Chiayi and Nantou counties.
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