What did the over 900 stranded passengers on Luopo Ridge experience?, 105 hours Beijing Mentougou | K396 | Passengers

On July 30th, due to heavy rainfall, train K396 was forced to stay at Luopo Ridge Station in Mentougou, Beijing. What did they experience for three days and three nights? This week, Face to Face specially released "The Warmth of Luopo Ridge".

On the morning of July 30th, the K396 train from Wuhai West, Inner Mongolia to Fengtai, Beijing entered the Beijing area and according to the scheduled schedule, it will arrive at the terminal station in another hour.

Zhao Yang, a train attendant on K396, has been on K396 for nearly three years. As a duty officer, she is responsible for handling ticket replacement services on a daily basis. According to her recollection, the train departed from Wuhai West Station in Inner Mongolia the evening before and went smoothly. Until it left Xuanhua Station in Hebei, the train noticeably slowed down.

Train K396 was notified to temporarily stop at Luopo Ridge Station on the Fengsha Railway for safety, which alerted train conductor Yang Long.

Yang Long, the conductor of train K396: At that time, when I stopped at Luopo Ridge, the rain was not so heavy, but it gradually became heavier. I felt something was wrong. I took out my mobile phone to check the weather forecast, opened the location search, and now it shows rainstorm. Because I used to live in Inner Mongolia, rainstorm is rare.

The situation is more serious than Yang Long and Zhao Yang imagined. Since July 29, the disastrous rainstorm weather has occurred in Beijing and surrounding areas due to the impact of typhoon "Du Surui". Some sections of the Fengsha Railway Line that the K396 train passes through have collapsed, and temporary closure measures have been taken. In addition to train K396, there are also trains Z180 from Urumqi to Beijing West Station and K1178 from Yinchuan to Fengtai, Beijing, which temporarily stop for safety. In the face of danger, the railway department organized emergency repairs as soon as possible.

However, as the parking time continued to increase, the food supply issue that train conductor Yang Long was concerned about gradually became apparent.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: Lunch will be eaten at 12:50, and after lunch, the ingredients in the dining car can be said to be sold out. When we sold out the instant noodles, we quickly activated the emergency plan and used flood control supplies. In the afternoon, the flood control supplies were sold out. We are so busy that we don't have time to look at this watch. What time did the items sell out? We can only say that if you need it, we should quickly go out and move it out.

There were over 900 passengers on the K396 train, and the food reserves were quickly depleted. Train conductor Yang Long began to contact Luopoling Station to seek material assistance.

Ma Ruixin, the station manager of Luopoling Station, contacted a nearby street vendor in the Luopoling community and led the station staff to deliver the first batch of supplies to the train in heavy rain, as Luopoling Station is a freight station and does not have the conditions to accommodate passengers, let alone ready-made food.

The heavy rain has been falling continuously. At 5 pm that day, K396 had been parked for more than four hours, and passengers on the train began to experience emotional instability. At the same time, their dinner had not yet arrived.

Ma Ruixin, the head of Luopo Ridge Station, went to great lengths to raise the second batch of supplies. However, on the way back, there was still one kilometer away from the station, but vehicles were unable to pass due to a landslide.

Zhao Yang participated in the rain carrying of supplies, and the scene left a deep impression on her.

As train crew and station staff struggled to move supplies onto the train, more and more passengers gathered towards the dining car, causing the scene to spiral out of control.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: Because they have already surrounded the conductor. Asking why the car has been parked for such a long time, I kept asking the driver repeatedly. I actually like to cry a lot in my daily life. That day, I really suppressed it. I didn't cry, but I was very anxious. The passengers were anxious, and I was also anxious. When we brought the supplies up, I was afraid that the passengers would grab them, trample on them, and be in danger.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: It's possible that I started by saying things from the bottom, but everyone didn't get a good result because I wasn't very tall and standing there looked very small. That's why I resolutely stood directly on the chair and said those things to everyone.

That is to say, the mobile video taken by this passenger was widely circulated online and widely reprinted by the media afterwards.

Due to limited supplies, the dinner supply on the same day remains a key guarantee for the elderly and children.

On July 31, the second day after K396 temporarily stopped, there was still heavy rain to rainstorm in Beijing, and there was heavy rainstorm in the western region, including Mentougou. Because there were only 20 pounds of potatoes and a little rice left on the train, early in the morning, the challenge of how to provide passengers with breakfast was placed in front of the train conductor Yang Long.

Yang Long, conductor of train K396: The chef works late and has a high labor intensity. But I told him that there is no way. The passengers on the train need our help and must get up early. At four o'clock, there are only 20 kilograms of potatoes left. Simply cut some potato shreds, mix a cold dish, and cook some rice with Congee. Try to take care of the elderly and children, so that they can have a hot meal.

Train conductor Yang Long of K396: This is the most difficult time.

In the morning of that day, good news came that some damaged sections of the Fengsha Railway had completed emergency repairs and were initially ready for operation. Trains K396 and Z180 attempted to start, but had not yet waited to leave the station. Floods caused more serious landslides in some sections, and the two trains were called to a stop again and returned to their original locations. What is even more concerning is that since the afternoon of July 31st, due to communication network interruption, the K396 train has lost all contact with the outside world at Luopo Ridge Station.

The Z180 and K1178 trains were also lost due to communication network interruption.In order to quickly verify the situation of the missing train and open up rescue channels, local and relevant departments have contacted the train and made every effort to organize rescue operations, deliver food, medicine, and the necessary transfer to ensure the safety of stranded passengers. In accordance with the requirements of the Beijing Flood Control Command, the fire and rescue personnel in Beijing were divided into three routes, advancing towards the direction of the trapped train by land, railway, and mountain.

Zhao Yang, Deputy Commander of the Beijing Fire Rescue Brigade: Due to the severe disaster situation, the degree of damage to various roads is unknown. If there is still some rainfall during our advance, once a road passes through the rainfall and experiences a landslide or road collapse, the road will inevitably be interrupted. Therefore, it is not possible to walk on only one road. We need to walk multiple lines in parallel, and we also need to carry some supplies. If passengers need some supplies after entering, they can bring them as much as possible.

Zhao Yang, Deputy Commander of the Beijing Fire Rescue Brigade: Food and materials are the main focus, because based on the previous situation, they may have been trapped there for a long time, and it is normal for them to not be able to provide sufficient supplies.

In terms of highways, Zhao Yang, the deputy captain of the Beijing Municipal Fire Rescue Brigade, led a 30 person assault team to walk along National Highway 109 towards the Anjiazhuang Station where Z180 stops.

On the other hand, a 24 person assault team led by Fu Jie, Deputy Director of the Special Disaster Rescue Department of the Beijing Municipal Fire Rescue Brigade, advanced towards the direction of the K396 train along the Fengsha Railway.

Just as firefighters were advancing towards the direction of the trapped train from land, railway, and mountain roads, the water level of the Luopoling Reservoir adjacent to the Luopoling Station rapidly rose, exceeding the flood limit.

With the coordination of the railway department and the local government, passengers on the K396 train were urgently evacuated to the nearby Luopo Ridge community. What moved Ma Ruixin was that after evacuating the passengers, the other personnel in the station did not follow his orders to stay in the community, but all returned to the station.

After being resettled in the Luopo Ridge community, the stranded passengers received enthusiastic help from the residents. However, due to the fact that there are only over 100 households in the Luopo Ridge community, mostly elderly people, it is not possible to provide food and accommodation for all over 900 passengers. Due to prioritizing the elderly and children, some young and middle-aged tourists have been placed on the open-air plaza in the community.

From noon until dark, more than 20 train attendants stayed in the rain.

At 12 o'clock in the evening, the rain was still falling non-stop. Fortunately, the danger at the Luopoling Reservoir was lifted, and the Luopoling Station and K396 train were temporarily out of danger. The crew led more than 100 passengers on the square back to the carriages to take shelter from the rain.

After arranging passengers to board the train and rest, Zhao Yang and other crew members need to take turns on duty, inspect the carriages, check the water situation, and respond to unexpected situations that may arise at any time.

At 5am on August 1st, the accumulated water in Luopo Ridge Station continued to rise, and the danger reappeared. The crew evacuated more than 100 passengers from the train again.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: When some passengers were urgently evacuated on the same day, passengers with hard seat carriages were unwilling to get off the train. He said that at least I couldn't get wet on the train, and I had nowhere to stay when I got off. I still had to get wet, so we stayed with him under the train.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: Yes.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: If we get on, passengers will feel even more that you are still sitting on it. Why let us go? There will only be more passengers getting on the train.

At the same time as the dangerous situation at Luopo Ridge Station continued to emerge, the firefighting and rescue team advancing towards the direction of the trapped train also encountered difficulties. In addition to the difficulty of passing through the tunnel, a severely damaged railway bridge along the way also blocked the way of Fu Jie and his teammates from the Beijing Fire Rescue Brigade.

Less than 20 kilometers away, Fu Jie and his teammates rushed all the way, but walked for nearly seven hours. On the afternoon of August 1st at 4 o'clock, they finally arrived at the location of K396.

Seeing the arrival of firefighting and rescue personnel, Zhao Yang was also overjoyed.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: They came, and we saw the light.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: We felt really good at that moment. When we went to the neighborhood committee, I shouted to the passengers and said they were coming to save us. At that time, it was really good. I felt like we had made it through and we waited.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: Yes, what we need to do now is to convey this confidence to the passengers.

K396 train attendant Zhao Yang: Let's just say, you see, the country hasn't abandoned us. They sent people to save us, and we can all go out.

The firefighters who arrived earlier opened up a rescue channel, and they also transmitted the specific situation of K396 through satellite phone. Subsequently, 40 commandos from the Beijing Armed Police Force arrived on foot at the Luopo Ridge Station and delivered the first batch of rescue supplies.

On the afternoon of August 1st, after more than seven hours of difficult travel, Zhao Yang led the assault team to reach the Anjiazhuang station where the Z180 train stopped.

On the evening of that day, 500 armed police officers and soldiers arrived at Luopo Ridge Station with food, clothing, and medicine for reinforcement. In the early morning of August 2nd, under the escort of armed police officers and soldiers, the first batch of more than 300 passengers of K396 began to move down the mountain. At 8 o'clock in the morning, after being trapped for three days and three nights, the first batch of passengers finally arrived safely at Fengtai Station in Beijing.

Passenger: It's safe now. My wife is crying uncontrollably. When she answered the phone, she really said, "What have you been doing these past few days?" The phone couldn't even be reached.

Just as the first batch of K396 passengers arrived at Beijing Fengtai Station, Zhao Yang led the firefighting and rescue personnel to escort the first batch of Z180 passengers outward along the road.

After a four hour journey, on the morning of August 2nd, the first batch of Z180 passengers were safely escorted to the transfer location. Afterwards, with the continuous gathering of rescue forces and the joint efforts of the government, railway departments, fire rescue, and armed police officers and soldiers, the remaining stranded passengers of K396, Z180, and K1178 were safely transferred in batches.

On the early morning of August 3rd, after spending unforgettable 105 hours at Luopo Ridge, Zhao Yang, along with the last batch of stranded passengers from K396 and Z180, successfully arrived at Beijing Fengtai Station by transfer train. So far, all passengers stranded in Mentougou area during this rainstorm have been safely evacuated.