The Ryongchŏn disaster was a train disaster that occurred on 22 April 2004 in the town of Ryongchŏn, North Korea, near the border with the People's Republic of China. At least 54 people were killed, including some Syrian scientists.
The disaster occurred when flammable cargo exploded at Ryongchon Station at around 13:00 local time (04:00 GMT). The news was released by South Korean media outlets, which reported that up to 3,000 people had been killed or injured in the blast and subsequent fires.[1] The North Korean government declared a state of emergency in the region, but little information has been made public by the North Korean government. Shortly after the accident, the North Korean government cut telephone lines to the outside world.[2][3]
As of 2024, it remains the second-deadliest rail accident in North Korea, and the third-deadliest in Korean history, being surpassed by the Gupo Mugunghwa-Ho Derailment (South Korea) and the recent Sinpyeong Rail Disaster (North Korea).
^"Mass Casualties Feared in N. Korea Train Blast". Fox News. Archived from the original on March 12, 2013. Retrieved March 10, 2013.
^"'Electrical Contact' Caused Train Collision, North Korea Says". Voice of America. April 24, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2009.[dead link]
^"N Korea train blast 'kills many'". London: BBC. April 22, 2004. Retrieved October 29, 2009.
and 15 Related for: Ryongchon disaster information
The Ryongchŏndisaster was a train disaster that occurred on 22 April 2004 in the town of Ryongchŏn, North Korea, near the border with the People's Republic...
Korean State Railway, running between China and P'yŏngyang runs through Ryongchŏn and is served by several stations, including in Ryongch'ŏn-ŭp. It is the...
industrial disasters, including the following: 1921 Oppau explosion in Germany 1947 Texas City disaster in Texas City, Texas 2004 Ryongchondisaster in North...
Supreme Leader: Kim Jong-il April 22 – Ryongchondisaster: Two trains carrying explosives and fuel collide in Ryongchon, North Korea, killing 161 people, injuring...
Access to the network was banned for many people in 2004 following the Ryongchondisaster. Operations ceased in 2010 when it was replaced by Koryolink. North...
supporting oxidation, and may also detonate, as happened in the Texas City disaster of 1947 which led to major changes in the regulations for storage and handling...
internationally); therefore, unfavourable stories are commonly not broadcast. The Ryongchondisaster earlier in 2004 was reported only several days after the event. There...
announced several days after the event, as was the case with the Ryongchondisaster in 2004. Reports are also notoriously secretive. The media remained...
it has on occasion acknowledged food shortages in the country. The Ryongchondisaster was also reported in April 2004, after a delay of two days. The Director...
non-nuclear explosions or the explosions section of list of accidents and disasters by death toll. This list also contains notable explosions that would not...
and the station received its current name in July 1945. The Ryongch'ŏn disaster was a major accident that occurred at Ryongch'ŏn station on 22 April 2004...
disaster: A train carrying a convoy of petrol, fertiliser, and sulfur derails and explodes in Iran, killing 320 people. April 22 – In the Ryongchon disaster...
international aid following the collision and explosion the train in Ryongchondisaster., where the three-person team brought along medical supplies worth...
section of the line is not electrified. Transport in North Korea Korail Ryongchondisaster Kokubu, Hayato, 将軍様の鉄道 (Shōgun-sama no Tetsudō), ISBN 978-4-10-303731-6...
Global Information