Yokohama Railway Accident (1951)

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The burning first car of the train

In the railway accident in Yokohama ( Japanese 桜 木 町 事故 , Sakuragi-chō jiko , dt. " Accident of Sakuragi-chō") on April 24, 1951 in the Sakuragichō station in Yokohama , Japan , a local train of the Japanese National Railways with a live Wire of overhead line in contact. The following short circuit caused the train to catch fire . 106 people died and 92 were seriously injured.

Starting position

On the day of the accident, maintenance work was carried out on the electrical overhead line on the Keihin line (today: Negishi line).

At the same time on the route next scheduled performed railways, among other railcars of type MoHa 63. The doors of War Series 63 could be opened only electrically, which was indeed bridged by the door opening, but this was for travelers not immediately be established under the seats appropriate. In addition, due to the scarcity of materials due to the war, three small windows were installed instead of one large window.

the accident

At 1:38 p.m., a suspension rope was accidentally cut during maintenance work. As a result, the live contact wire sagged and sagged .

Four minutes later, a five-part MoHa 63 (1271B) railcar approached the danger zone from Yokohama station . Its pantograph got caught in the hanging wire and the live cable hit the wooden wagons , causing a short circuit. The associated electric arc set fire to the roof of the first car of the train and the electrical door opening system inoperative. The car was occupied by about 150 travelers. The through door to the second car opened inwards, but this was no longer possible because the panicked travelers who tried to escape pushed against it. The windows were too small to be used as an emergency exit. The wooden cart burned out completely within 10 minutes.

consequences

The accident resulted in the resignation of Hideo Shima , the director of the rolling stock department of the Japanese National Railways . From 1955 he was responsible for the design and construction of the Shinkansen , Japan's first high-speed train.

Within two years, the insulation was improved in all 800 wagons of the MoHa 63 series and the emergency door opening was clearly marked.

A memorial was erected in the Sōji-ji temple in Yokohama for the victims of the accident .

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Saito.
  2. ↑ According to other information (Saito) there was no transition between the cars.
  3. ↑ Aigis Salpukas: Hideo Shima, a Designer of Japan's Bullet Train, Is Dead at 96 . In: New York Times v. March 20, 1998.

Coordinates: 35 ° 27 ′ 3.3 ″  N , 139 ° 37 ′ 51.9 ″  E