Heavy Snow Causes 515-Casualty Subway Collision in Beijing

A crane is seen operating near the train carriages at the site of a train collision on the western district in Beijing, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Two subway trains have collided in heavy snow in Beijing,

In a dramatic dance of chaos helmed by the icy fingers of nature, two subway trains in Beijing succumbed to a hazardous collision, sending a chilling shockwave through the city's bone-chilling winter. The macabre waltz unfolded amidst a harsh symphony of heavy snowfall, culminating in 515 souls being immediately rushed to nearby hospitals. Amongst the wounded, around 102 suffered fractures festering on their bodies – grim mementos of an unforgettable night.

The accident scripted its terrifying tale amidst the rugged embrace of the mountainous west. It painted a scene of eerie chaos on the overground section of the Changping line - one of the arteries that feeds the heart of Beijing's sprawling subway system.

The relentless snowfall wove an icy carpet on the tracks rendering them treacherously slippery. This triggered the train in the lead to initiate automatic braking. However, its dance partner, a train following suit on a descending journey, fell into an ominously uncontrollable skid, unable to harness the power of its braking system in time.

Swiftly responding to the accident, emergency medical personnel, police and transport authorities rushed like stalwart knights in the snowy chaos. By about 11 pm, all passengers were evacuated - symbolising a bittersweet victory despite the shock and shivers. Current reports indicate that 25 passengers remain under keen observation while 67 are being cared for within the warm embrace of the city hospitals.

Workers attach a crane onto train carriages at the site of a train collision on the western district in Beijing, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Two subway trains have collided in heavy snow in Beijing, sending over 500 people to the hospital, including more than 100 with broken bones. Authorities said Friday the accident occurred the previous evening in Beijing's mountainous west on an above-ground portion of the sprawling subway system's Changping line. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A crane is seen operating near the train carriages at the site of a train collision on the western district in Beijing, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Two subway trains have collided in heavy snow in Beijing, sending over 500 people to the hospital, including more than 100 with broken bones. Authorities said Friday the accident occurred the previous evening in Beijing's mountainous west on an above-ground portion of the sprawling subway system's Changping line. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Police officers watch over near the site of a train collision on the western district in Beijing, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Two subway trains have collided in heavy snow in Beijing, sending over 500 people to the hospital, including more than 100 with broken bones. Authorities said Friday the accident occurred the previous evening in Beijing's mountainous west on an above-ground portion of the sprawling subway system's Changping line. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Police officers watch over near the site of train collision on the western district in Beijing, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Two subway trains have collided in heavy snow in Beijing, sending over 500 people to the hospital, including more than 100 with broken bones. Authorities said Friday the accident occurred the previous evening in Beijing's mountainous west on an above-ground portion of the sprawling subway system's Changping line. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Post-incident, all passengers were evacuated by about 11 p.m.

Essentially transforming the landscape into a powdery white battlefield, the heavy snowfall began its unruly siege on Wednesday, leading to a suspension of various train operations and educational institutions shrouded under a blanket of snowflakes.

Alerts have been issued, the city remains on high feathers, watching out for more icy roads, a punch of extreme cold and further snowfall. The mercury is expected to plunge further, shivering at an expected minus 11 degrees Celsius (12 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight.

While Beijing's winters are known to be brutally cold, such heavy snowfall is usually a rare intruder. Regardless, there have been no deaths reported from this frosty onslaught thus far. As a wide swath of northern China continues to weather the winter storm, one can only hope that the symphony of chaos softens its harsh notes soon.