At least 11 railway workers were killed and two others injured after a test train collided with staff on the tracks at Luoyangzhen Station in Kunming, the capital of China’s southwestern Yunnan Province.

The accident occurred on Thursday during a scheduled inspection run involving train No. 55537, which was conducting seismic-equipment testing along a curved section of track. According to statements from Chinese railway authorities, the workers were on the line when the train approached the station area, resulting in a high-fatality impact described by officials as the deadliest rail accident in China in more than a decade.

Emergency response and investigation launched

Rescue teams and medical personnel were immediately dispatched to the scene, where emergency protocols were activated to treat the wounded and secure the affected section of the railway. Authorities confirmed that rail operations at the station resumed after recovery efforts were completed.

An investigation has been opened to determine why workers were present on an active track during a test run and whether any operational or communication failures contributed to the tragedy. 

A rare and high-impact incident

China operates one of the world’s largest and busiest rail systems, and major fatal accidents have become relatively uncommon in recent years. The rail network is the world's largest, spanning more than 160,000 km and racking up billions of trips each year.

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