A train tunnel in eastern Taiwan that was the site of a deadly derailment is back in use as of Monday. It took crews sixteen days working round-the-clock to repair the tunnel. For the next two months, trains will pass through the tunnel at reduced speeds.
The tunnel was badly damaged during a train crash earlier this month. On April 2, a train collided with a flat-bed truck on the tracks in Hualien, eastern Taiwan, leaving 49 people dead and more than 200 injured. Authorities have arrested the driver of the truck on suspicion of criminal negligence.
Transportation Minister Lin Chia-lung was among the first to take a train through the tunnel on Monday morning. He thanked the workers for their tireless efforts and for finishing the job one day ahead of schedule.
Crews have also installed early-detection and warning systems near the scene of the accident. Lin says he hopes that will put passengers at ease. Investigations into the recent accident have shown that the train driver had only a matter of seconds to respond to the truck on the tracks, making a crash inevitable. Early warning systems should give drivers enough time to bring the train to a complete halt if the track is blocked, preventing fatal accidents like the recent derailment.
Minister Lin has tendered his resignation to take responsibility for the train accident, and is set to leave office on Tuesday. He says he’s glad he was able to oversee the completion of work on the tunnel before handing over to the next transportation minister.