HÀ NỘI — Vietnam Railways (VNR) has asked railway companies to install cameras at level-crossing barriers to improve the safety of pedestrians.

Accordingly, railway companies across the country will install two cameras before and after level-crossing barriers. Surveillance monitoring centres will be based in the offices of the companies.

Late last month, Vũ Quang Khôi, head of the Railway Department under the Transport Ministry, and an inspection group found railway staff to be in violation of working regulations while performing unannounced visits to stations and level crossings along the routes of Hà Nội- Hải Phòng, Hà Nội-Lào Cai, Hà Nội-HCM City and Bắc Hồng-Văn Điển.

During their visits, guards at level-crossing barriers were found drinking alcohol and oversleeping during work hours.

In some cases, inexperienced interns were assigned to work as barrier keepers at level-crossings.

Street vendors were found around the booths of barrier keepers, which affected their work as well as traffic safety.

The Railway Department then asked Vietnam Railways to strengthen inspections and punish violators to improve railway traffic safety, Khôi said.

This is an urgent task for Việt Nam’s railway sector as within the last month, five serious railway accidents were reported on the Hà Nội-HCM City route, killing two people and injuring other 11 ones.

Notably, three out of the five accidents were caused by faults of railway staff.

After the accidents, Vietnam Railways suspended ten officers who were directly involved as well as disciplined 12 of their managers disciplined too.

Another incident just happened on Wednesday morning. A fire was detected on a carriage of a train at Hào Sơn Station in central Phú Yên Province.

The fire was allegedly caused by an electrical short circuit in the passenger area. All the passengers in the carriage were evacuated to safety and the fire was extinguished after about one hour.

A report from VNR showed that from September 16, 2017 to April 15, 2018, there were 199 rail accidents, killing 91 people and injuring 122 others. — VNS