26.03.2007

Tokyo train hits crane

130 people were trapped on the monorail between Tokyo and Haneda airport yesterday for over two hours after it collided with the boom tip of a boom truck crane as it ran on an elevated section of the track.

The crane mounted on a 3.5 tonne truck was installing a road sign from the road around eight metres below, when the train hit. The top section of the boom buckled but the truck remained upright and no one was hurt in the accident.
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The Boom truck was struck by the front of the monorail train

A second train was brought alongside on the other track so that passengers could step from the damaged train into the rescue one. All were safely rescued.

The police are checking whether there were any procedural problems on the part of the construction crew, the monorail was down for over five hours.