A Taiwan Railways Administration maintenance worker on Wednesday was killed by a commuter train while fixing broken train signals in Hsinchu.
The victim was identified as Hsieh Chien-hong (謝建弘), who worked at the agency’s signal maintenance branch in Hsinchu.
The accident came a day after Minister of Transportation and Communication Hochen Tan (賀陳旦) prayed for peace and smooth operation during a ritual held at the ministry ahead of the upcoming Ghost Festival, which is observed on the 15th night of the seventh month on the Lunar calendar.
The cause of the accident is now under investigation, the agency said.
According to the agency, the accident happened at about 10:46pm, when a northbound commuter train hit Hsieh while he was fixing the broken train signals.
Hsieh was sent to the Nan Men General Hospital in Hsinchu for emergency care, but he could not be resuscitated.
The administration said that Hsieh had teamed up with another coworker to fix the broken signals, adding that they had carried tools, supplies and walkie-talkies.
The train, which was about to enter the Hsinchu Railway Station from the Neiwan branch line, hit Hsieh when he was squatting down and checking the signals, the agency said.
Based on the agency’s standard operating procedures, Hsieh’s coworker was supposed to hand tools to him and watch out for his safety.
However, the accident happened right after Hsieh had requested a flashlight and some supplies, it said.
The agency said that it has reported the accident to the Northern Occupational Safety and Health Center and that it would help Hsieh’s family make funeral arrangements, adding that it has tried to comfort his colleagues and review all safety measures.
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