Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.
April 28, 2008

70 Dead, 400 Injured in China Train Collision 
----------------------------------------------

http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1C0BAF4:A6F02AD83191E16060CEB829DF923178B3350E090FE6A6E8& 
Official Xinhua news agency says the trains collided before dawn near the city of Zibo, in Shandong province 






In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, rescuers work at the site of the trains colliding accident in east China's Shandong Province, 28 Apr 2008

Chinese officials say at least 70 people were killed and hundreds injured when two passenger trains collided Monday in eastern China. 

The official Xinhua news agency says the trains collided before dawn near the city of Zibo, in Shandong province. The agency said more than 400 people have been hospitalized, with about 70 listed in critical condition, suggesting the death toll could rise.

Xinhua cited officials who said human error caused an express from Beijing to the eastern city of Qingdao to derail and hit the second train, traveling from the city of Yantai in Shandong to Xuzhou in Jiangsu province. Both trains were reportedly traveling at full speed. 

Authorities said they ruled out terrorism.

Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang has been dispatched to the area to oversee rescue efforts.

The accident is the worst in China since 1997, when more than 100 people were killed in a train wreck in the central province of Hunan.

Some information for this report provided by AP and AFP.



.