An 85-year-old woman who uses an electric wheelchair was hit and killed by an express train on a crossing in Yamanashi City on Thursday night.
The accident occurred at around 7 p.m. at Akaiyama on the tracks of the JR Chuo line, Fuji TV reported. The express train was on its way from Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station to Matsumoto Station in Nagano Prefecture.
According to police, the train driver said he saw the woman standing behind her chair, holding onto its handles and waving at the train. He applied the emergency brake but was unable to stop in time. Police said the woman, Masae Saiga, who lived nearby, was confirmed dead at the scene.
Investigators said there were crossing gates and that they had been lowered. They believe the wheelchair got stuck on the tracks and that Saiga got up and tried to push it.
There were about 400 passengers on the train, JR East said, adding that no injuries were reported. Train services were delayed for about 90 minutes after the accident.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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h.jaffar sadiq
Dear's i To much botheration having low berth Rate in great japan The great japanese goverments seriously stepping increasing berth rate in great nationwide and There's all medical fees more incentives free Treatments and good encourage doing about martial life describe to great national's.
Disillusioned
It is likely the wheelchair got stuck in the tracks, but why she stood there trying to stop an express train defies logic. If she had the mobility to get out of her chair and try to push it, she also had the mobility to get out of the way.
farhaan
Sad, old lady couldn't able make her mind to save herself and leave wheelchair since she had already got up from wheelchair.
Haruka
Shocking
Wakarimasen
The large number of track crossings that still rely on gates and suchlike is mystifying in so modern a country as Japan. surely something to spend the billions of yen being printed by BoJ on.