# North Korean train "explosion" kills thousands **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 22, 2004, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437 "2004-04-22T15:15:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2004, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/21 "2004-04-22T18:50:34Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > It probably hasn’t made the US news because there’s probably no visuals available. The AP has at least one still photo of the fire. [link](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/22/world/main613176.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Lando\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f17d59/32.png) [@Lando\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lando_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2004, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/22 "2004-04-22T18:54:01Z")
[Another story from Reuters](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20040422/ts_nm/korea_north_explosion_dc) Things seem pretty grim > [@](#): > > South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, which spoke of widespread destruction, said there were thousands of casualties and some form of emergency had been declared in the area near the border with China. “The station was destroyed as if hit by a bombardment and debris flew high into the sky,” Yonhap said, quoting unidentified Chinese sources. YTN in its report quoted witnesses. I thought this part seemed a interesting > [@](#): > > There were rumors the fuel was a gift from China to Kim and his energy-starved country, Yonhap said. Even though North Korea is incapable of giving medical attention to this many people, they still refuse, Soviet-style, to ask for any aid. I wonder how many people will have to die unnecessarily because of North Korea’s stubborness? > [@](#): > > The North’s creaking medical system would be hard pressed to cope with a large number of casualties, but there was no word any international agency or neighboring country had been asked for help. > > \ > > Residents in Pyongyang said by telephone there was nothing unusual in the capital. North Korean television was broadcasting military songs and music – standard evening fare. > > Masood Hyder, the World Food Program coordinator in Pyongyang, said he was not sure if or when the government might inform his agency of the reported accident. > > “It’s not necessary that they would tell us,” he said by telephone. “Often it’s the foreign news that confirms things even before they admit to it.” ---
**Author:** ![violacrane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c57346/32.png) [@violacrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/violacrane)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/23 "2004-04-22T21:07:43Z")
The BBC carried this story at the top of the 10 o’clock news. The only new information was that some casualties are being treated in China, so they are accepting some foreign help at least. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/24 "2004-04-22T22:32:03Z")
**gobear** is right; it’s not hitting high on the news radar yet, or at least on the TV news radar, because there’s no footage. CNN, MSNBC, etc. have it as a top story, but the only art they’ve got to run with it is a map of Korea; apparently this is less captivating than a photo of Paul Bremer looking stern. I’ve got a bad, bad feeling that this wasn’t a petroleum-based explosion at all; I sure hope I’m just paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/25 "2004-04-22T23:44:20Z")
I for one wants to applaud the BBC for reporting something where they don’t have the sensationalism of eyewitness reports or live footage. To lead with an essentially-text based story was a brave thing to do, and I am pleased they did it. ---
**Author:** ![jujuju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@jujuju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jujuju)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/26 "2004-04-23T00:10:17Z")
for the record, i saw the report first on fox news around 3:45pm, EDT. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/27 "2004-04-23T00:10:59Z")
> [@jackelope](#): > > I’ve got a bad, bad feeling that this wasn’t a petroleum-based explosion at all; I > sure hope I’m just paranoid. I have to admit, my first thought was that the first report was a cover story hiding something a lot more insidious. My second thought was I was being too paranoid. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/28 "2004-04-23T00:19:25Z")
This is probably just a horrible train wreck. But Kim will likely kill hundreds out of paranoia, mostly the very rail workers who could best prevent future wrecks. There **will be** a second bloodbath. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/29 "2004-04-23T00:22:03Z")
Besides the lack of visuals, there really aren’t that many facts beyond the headline. The wire stories spend an awful lot of words on various speculation and explaining that North Korea is oppressive and secretive. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/30 "2004-04-23T00:57:16Z")
Don’t we have any Korean dopers on board, or am I thinking of China and Hong Kong? When I first heard of it this morning, I thought it would be terrorist related, too. ---
**Author:** ![Lando\_Griffin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f17d59/32.png) [@Lando\_Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lando_Griffin)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/31 "2004-04-23T04:10:24Z")
_UPDATE_ It appears that North Korea has finally requested medical aid from China, even though they haven’t officially disclosed what really happened. The story is [HERE](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=1&u=/nm/20040423/ts_nm/korea_north_dc) ---
**Author:** ![AmericanMaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@AmericanMaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmericanMaid)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/32 "2004-04-23T12:59:49Z")
I was listening to NPR this morning when they were talking to a Red Cross rep. The rep said that one of the trains could have been carrying ammonium nitrate. **Rufus Xavier** and **jackelope** , you are not alone in thinking that there’s something fishy about this. My initial thought was that it was a nuclear explosion being covered up then that changed to assassination attempt. Now, I have no idea but my spider sense is tingling. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/33 "2004-04-23T13:05:10Z")
> [@AmericanMaid](#): > > I was listening to NPR this morning when they were talking to a Red Cross rep. The rep said that one of the trains could have been carrying ammonium nitrate. **Rufus Xavier** and **jackelope** , you are not alone in thinking that there’s something fishy about this. My initial thought was that it was a nuclear explosion being covered up then that changed to assassination attempt. Now, I have no idea but my spider sense is tingling. [Click Here. It doesn’t have to be deliberate. Remember the Texas City Diaster?](http://www.local1259iaff.org/disaster.html) ---
**Author:** ![OneYogini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b9e5f3/32.png) [@OneYogini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneYogini)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/34 "2004-04-23T15:08:31Z")
And now it appears CNN is saying “100 bodies” were found in the wreckage with 1500 or so injured. That’s WAY off the 3000 dead proclaimed yesterday by MSNBC. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437/35 "2004-04-23T15:32:20Z")
The Chinese news service says Ammonium Nitrate but N. Korea says dynamite. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/north-korean-train-explosion-kills-thousands/241437.md?page=1)