According to Central Japan Railway Co, two maintenance trains collided at 3.35am. - PHOTO: AFP
TOKYO (Japan News/ANN): The Tokaido Shinkansen service had been suspended between Tokyo and Nagoya stations on July 22, following the derailment of two maintenance trains in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture.
The service between Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture and Nagoya stations was still halted as of 11am. The restoration work is expected to continue until evening. It is unclear when the full service will resume.
According to Central Japan Railway Co (JR Tokai), two maintenance trains collided at 3.35am. One of the trains was stationary on the track after it completed maintenance between Toyohashi and Mikawa-Anjo stations on the Tokaido Shinkansen line. The collision caused the two trains to derail.
A male train operator suffered a slight cut on his forehead while another male worker sustained a bruise on his leg.
At the accident site, inspection of the track and the derailed trains, and other restoration works have commenced.
According to JR Tokai, the derailed trains will be transported by a crane. Oil spillages were also found at the site, causing delays to the restoration.
Alongside JR Tokai’s inspection, the Aichi prefectural police plan to conduct their own inspection at the scene, as part of a larger investigation into the incident amid suspicion of professional negligence resulting in injury. - THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
