Heavy snow caused the carriages to collide (Picture: AP)
Two subway trains have collided in Beijing due to heavy snow, sending 515 people to hospital including 102 with broken bones.
The Chinese capital, which rarely sees snow, has been hit by fierce blizzards in recent days, which has disrupted public transport and caused severe delays across the city.
The accident happened on Thursday evening in Beijing’s mountainous west, on an above-ground portion of the subway system’s sprawling Changping line.
The accident occurred just before 7pm Thursday, when slippery tracks caused the last two cars to separate from the carriages in front of them.
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Meanwhile, a train behind them on a descending section went into a skid and was unable to brake in time, causing the two trains to crash into eachother.
Footage of the incident showed riders collapsed onto the floor and partial lighting outages, while some commuters used emergency hammers to try to break the train windows to escape.
Other footage showed passengers stood in the dark as they waited for help in the crowded carriage. A woman who appeared to have fainted was seen receiving help from fellow passengers.
Emergency medical personnel, police and transport authorities responded and all passengers were evacuated by about 11pm, it said.
As of Friday morning, 25 passengers remained under observation while another 67 remained in hospital. The remaining 423 had been released, according to state media.
Unusually heavy snow, which began falling on Wednesday, has prompted the suspension of some train operations and school closures.
Alerts remain in place for icy roads, extreme cold and further snowfall.
Over 500 were hospitalised, although most have been discharged (Picture: AP)
Temperatures were due to fall to -11C overnight.
No deaths have been reported from the winter storms, which have struck a wide swathe of northern China.
‘We sincerely apologise for the accident that occurred this evening,’ Beijing Subway, the train’s operator, said on Weibo.
‘Passengers who left the premises unaccompanied during the evacuation and who are not feeling well can contact us at any time. We will take on the cost of care,’ they added.
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