ONLY 1 OF 2 REQUIRED TRAIN HORNS CONFIRMED IN FATAL JAPAN ACCIDENT - UTSUNOMIYA JAPAN

ONLY 1 OF 2 REQUIRED TRAIN HORNS CONFIRMED IN FATAL JAPAN ACCIDENT - UTSUNOMIYA JAPAN

@Jr_Paku Midin Channel

UTSUNOMIYA

Only one of two warning blasts the train driver was required to sound was confirmed to have gone off in the fatal accident north of Tokyo on Thursday, Tobu Railway Co. said Saturday.

An express train travelling at around 50 kilometers per hour struck and killed four workers in their 50s and 60s on the tracks at Shin-kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line in Tochigi Prefecture on Thursday.

Police suspect communication failures may have contributed to the accident and are investigating whether the workers were adequately warned of the approaching train.

Tobu Railway said two relay lookouts were stationed about 315 meters either side of the work site, while another was positioned about 80 meters from the work crew.

The two furthermost lookouts were responsible for alerting the one closer to the work site when a train approached so the workers could clear the tracks.

The driver was required to sound the horn twice -- first after receiving a signal from a relay lookout and again after receiving a signal from the lookout near the work site.

It has been confirmed the driver sounded the horn after receiving the signal from the lookout closest to the work site, but Tobu Railway said it is still investigating whether there was a previous blast.

One of the relay lookouts at the site was reportedly unable to communicate with the lookout near the work area.

Ten workers were at the site, employed by several companies, including the prime contractor.

The site supervisor and work leader were provided by one company, the three lookouts by two other companies, while the remaining workers were supplied by a third company. One of the four workers killed was the site supervisor.

Two of the lookouts are experienced workers who have been handling jobs for Tobu for several years, according to people associated with the subcontractor who dispatched them.

The accident occurred at about 10:45 a.m. Thursday. Tochigi prefectural police have formed a 45-member special investigation team and are considering possible charges of professional negligence resulting in death.

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