Two passengers were taken to hospital after an express train had to be evacuated while passing through the Seikan Tunnel on Friday afternoon.
The Super Swan #34 six-car express train was en route to Aomori from Hakodate when smoke was seen coming from beneath one of the cars at around 5:15 p.m., Fuji TV reported. JR Hokkaido officials said the train stopped in the tunnel about one kilometer from Tappi Kaitei station.
All 124 passengers were forced to evacuate and walk through the tunnel until they could be picked up by another train. Two women, aged 78 and one in her 50s, were taken to hospital to be treated for light injuries, police said.
JR Hokkaido said Saturday that the probable cause of the smoke was overheated cables.
The Seikan Tunnel runs for 53.85 kilometers about 100 meters beneath the Tsugaru Strait, connecting Aomori Prefecture with Hokkaido.
© Japan Today
5 Comments
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FightingViking
Not for the claustrophobic - or faint-of-heart... Luckily the injuries were limited to two people and only "light"...
m6bob
The Shinkansen service to Hokkaido will start running a year from now. I wonder if this will affect the schedule.
sassarma
Thank God , it has stopped with only 2 passengers
smithinjapan
Better they stop it and evacuate everyone to be safe (although the evac is what prompted the injuries, it seems) rather than wait until a fire breaks out. Stay safe!
JohnDigsJapan
I'll be taking that tunnel in about 10 days. From the images on TV, it seems it was the train that seemed 'dirty' to me and had nothing to do with the track. I'm sure the shinkansen extension will not be affected in any way.