Hundreds Said Killed in North Korea Blast ( Latest AP Update says hundreds trapped )

The Las Vegas Sun ^ | April 23, 2004 at 9:36:24 PDT | CHRISTOPHER BODEEN

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

DANDONG, China (AP) -

North Korean officials say several hundred people were believed killed in an explosion at a train station in the town of Ryongchon near the Chinese border, the British ambassador to North Korea said Friday.

The officials also told Ambassador David Slinn and other European envoys stationed in Pyongyang that several thousand people were believed injured and many might still be trapped in collapsed buildings nearby, a British Foreign Office spokesman said in London.

Earlier, a U.N. agency in Geneva said the secrective communist government had acknowledged at least 50 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured in Thursday's blast that destroyed more than 1,800 dwellings. The statement came as North Korea made a formal request to the United Nations for international help in the disaster.

Slinn and other European Union ambassadors were to visit the disaster site Saturday, and that "will help us make an assessment of what might be needed," the spokesman said.

--

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

fyi

[AgThorn]

far cry from the initial numbers of 3,000 - but tragic regardless.

[Esther Ruth]

"several thousand people were believed injured and many might still be trapped in collapsed buildings nearby"

I have been waiting for a report that thousands of aid workers are being flown in to help rescue and dig out people who may be alive under the rubble. Aren't there 1000s of collapsed buildings or homes?

[MPJackal]

"far cry from the initial numbers of 3,000 - but tragic regardless"

You may want to wait on that. 3000 home "Flattened". Koreans tend to live in extended families i.e Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and children living together is not uncommon. It may well be 2000-3000 before all is said and done. I hope I am wrong.

[RightWhale]

Red Cross is greatly energized and responding to this disaster with vigor and enthusiasm. They live for this.

[pepsionice]

North Korea will keep repeating less than 100 dead until we all accept that. Based on the description, I can't see how less than 1000 aren't dead. It was near a village and the blast would been enough to destroy the entire village.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #5

In addition to what you mentioned, it should also be noted that N. Korean medical system has collapsed in recent years. Injuries that could have been easily cured in other better-off countries can lead to death in N. Korea. Blood plasma, antibiotics, disinfecting agents, and other basic supplies are virtually nonexistent in that country. It would be like ancient battles where more soldiers died from infections and injuries after their battle than on the battlefield.

[BlueLancer]

"( Latest AP Update says hundreds trapped )"

That would include the whole population of North Korea, wouldn't it?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Here is NY Times article on this:

Details in North Korean Rail Blast Remain a Mystery

..............................

Survivors reports, as relayed by the South Korean media, indicate that the explosion, around noon on Thursday, could rank as the worst train disaster in world history. Until now, the world’s worst rail disaster took place in India on June 6, 1981 when at least 800 people were killed after a cyclone blew most of an overcrowded passenger train into a river.

....................

Train wrecks with large numbers of fatalities are rare in North Korea, largely because trains creak slowly along rails that were first laid during the Japanese occupation, over 60 years ago. Foreign visitors have reported frequent stoppages due to lack of electricity and overall speeds that could be beaten by a good horse.

[TigerLikesRooster]

Re #10

Apparently, the world's worst train disaster happened in N. Korea in 1997.

N. Korea: 1997 Train Disaster Claims Death Toll of 2,400 People

N. Korean trains may be slow but their passenger trains are usually jam-packed like sardine cans. If any of them falls off a bridge or a cliff, many will die for sure. It is not just the high speed train collision which produces high fatalities.

[OneTimeLurker]

with 1,800 dwellings destroyed, etc. what's the chance this was a low yield Nuke being transported on one of the trains that went off unexpectedly?

(I posted the same on another thread but no responses!) :(

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think we'd know by now. The overflight pix show the area as sooty black, like oil was a part of the fire.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I don't know, I would think our Satellites could pick that up. Also I think they were going to let high level ?VIPS visit the site.

[little jeremiah]

I've checked all the threads on this disaster I could find, and some said two trains with explosives hit each other, dynamite was mentioned once, along with a train hitting some electical wires. Other article(s) mentioned trains loaded with fuel.

Who knows?

[OneTimeLurker]

I agree the military would know but I don't think it would be released for public consumption if it were the case. Point well taken about the oil.

[Law is not justice but process]

There is a satellite photo of the village in question on the home page of DigitalGlobe.com. The image is a year old but very detailed. Judging by the distance of the train tracks from the village buildings, it must have been one helluva explosion to kill even 100 people (unless there was a passenger train near the freight train that exploded). I would suspect an explosion big enough to kill 100 villagers would likely kill 1000s.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

I don't think anyone will ever find out the actual death toll, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's in the many thousands. This thing looks bad.

[js1138]

Don't know about nukes, but dynamite and propane together could make a good crude daisy cutter.

[commish]

I don't think anyone will ever find out the actual death toll, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's in the many thousands

I wonder if we will ever find out WHAT cause it.

First it was a train full of fuel oil colliding with a train full of gasoline.
Then it was a train full of LPG hitting a train full of oil
Then it was a train full of dynomite hitting electric wires that caused the dynomite to explode
Then there was another report of a Chinese witness saying that it was a train full of Amonium Nitrate (Stuff used in OKC)

I am beginning to wonder if this was not a deliberate attempt to kill Jong. Speaking of which, has anyone heard or seen anything about him since the blast?