HANOI: A man was killed after his motorbike collided with a train in Hanoi on Sunday (March 8) night, the latest in a string of railway accidents across Vietnam that have raised concerns about safety at crossings.
The crash happened at around 8.10pm on Ngoc Hoi Street in Hoang Liet Ward, when the rider attempted to cross the tracks at an informal residential crossing and was struck by passenger train SE19 travelling along the north–south line.
The impact threw the motorbike and rider roughly 20m. The victim died at the scene, police said. Traffic around the area was briefly congested while officers examined the site and directed vehicles.
The accident marks the third serious railway crash reported nationwide in just over a week, highlighting persistent safety risks at crossings where road users sometimes ignore warning signals.
On Feb 25, a cargo truck was hit by a train on the same north–south railway line in the Ngoc Hoi area of Hanoi, killing the driver and seriously injuring another person.
Dash-camera footage later shared online appeared to show the truck trapped on the tracks after the crossing barrier had already lowered. Moments later, an approaching train struck the vehicle broadside, overturning it and crushing the cabin.
Authorities said the driver had ignored the warning signals and attempted to cross despite the lowered barrier. The collision disrupted train schedules and caused traffic congestion in the area while investigators cleared the wreckage.
Following the crash, traffic police on Feb 27 carried out nationwide inspections at railway crossings.
Within a single day, officers recorded 56 violations, most involving drivers crossing after warning lights had turned red or after barriers had already been lowered.
But another serious accident occurred only days later.
On March 6, a tractor-trailer collided with passenger train SE8 at a railway crossing in Ve Giang Commune in the central province of Quang Ngai.
Police said the driver had driven past a lowered barrier and became stuck on the tracks before the train struck the vehicle.
The truck was torn in two, and the driver was hospitalised with injuries, while the locomotive suffered heavy damage. Train services on the route were forced to slow down or adjust their schedules.
But safety concerns extend beyond crossings.
Authorities say the long-running issue of businesses encroaching on railway safety corridors – most visibly along Hanoi’s famous 'railway café street' – continues to pose risks.
Along the stretch between Hanoi and Gia Lam stations, cafés and small businesses have for years operated just metres from the tracks on streets such as Phung Hung and Tran Phu.
The narrow corridor has become a popular photo spot for tourists, even as trains continue to pass through the area.
City authorities have repeatedly ordered the businesses to close and installed barriers to keep visitors away when trains approach. Yet the activity often returns soon after enforcement campaigns end.
Police dismantled several cafés there on March 5, but by the following day, visitors had returned and the area was once again crowded despite safety warnings.
Officials say the problem stems partly from weak compliance among some businesses and gaps in local management.
The Ministry of Construction has now set up an inter-agency task force to review railway management along the urban section between Hanoi and Gia Lam stations.
Plans under consideration include reducing the number of passenger and tourist trains running along the stretch and diverting freight trains to an alternative route west of the city.
Authorities say stricter enforcement and greater public awareness will be key to preventing further tragedies on the railway network. - Vietnam News/ANN
