1998 Shenyang trolleybus electrocution accident

Prior to the closure of the trolleybus network in Shenyang, it was the third largest trolleybus network in China, although in 1995 it was the largest by kilometre count of trolley wires, but second behind Shanghai in total vehicle count. In May 1999, after a number of reductions, there was a total of 12 lines, 4 depots and more than 400 trolleybuses. At its peak, there were about 20 routes. Similar prior incidents • On 20 July 1993, at 11:50, a trolleybus on route 8 had one of its poles disconnect from the trolley wire and lodged onto a roadside pole. As it was stuck tight, a number of passengers tried to free it by pushing the trolleybus. When the pole was freed, it sprang up and connected to a high voltage wire, instantly killing 2 and injuring 3, with the driver's leg being burnt. == Accident ==

An articulated trolleybus was traveling on the loop route and approaching Wuai Street stop, when the trolley pole fell off the wire and connected onto a high voltage line, causing the trolleybus body to conduct electricity. As the electrical equipment behind the driver overheated and started smoking, panicking passengers saw the opportunity to leave through the opened doors. The 11 kV line was illegally connected by nearby construction workers on Wenhua Road, who had placed it above the trolley wires. == Aftermath ==

With the closure of the Shenyang trolleybus, many other cities in the north-east region of China followed. The reasons given consisted of the following points: However, according to workers of the transport department, there were only 13 substations and most of them were built in the 1970s and 1980s. Later on, they were continuously upgraded and were not outdated, and neither was the contact network. Under his plan, the wide-reaching trolleybus network was replaced by 545 expensive buses, which contributed to worsening air quality in Shenyang. Although replacements were promised to be natural gas buses conforming to Euro emission standards, 80% were much more polluting diesel buses. although he died of liver cancer in 2003. Xia Renfan also played a role in the removal of the trolleybus; in the spring of 1998, he became the head of the transportation department of the city through bribing Mu Suixin with US$10000, 'resolving' the objections to his appointment by others in the transportation department and Mu Suixin, even though Mu Suixin had realised that his reputation was poor, was untrusted and was rejected numerous times by the city committee. Satisfied with the bribe, Mu Suixin bypassed the committee by moving the passenger transport company from being under the city transportation department to an enterprise directly controlled by the city. He allocated generous funds to Xia Renfan for the 'modification' to the trolleybus network. From then on, much of the funds were used on renting a total of 2078 Mu of land, supposedly for retirement. He also received bribes from a bus manufacturer in Nanjing of around 20000 RMB, as 'a gift from the factory'. On another occasion, a bribe of 100,000 RMB was given for the purchase of 200 buses. In 2003, he was sentenced by the Liaoning Higher People's Court to death, although in 2005 his sentenced was reduced by the Supreme People's Court to death sentence with reprieve because he reported another high-ranking official. Although demolished for many years, the trolleybus still remains a widely known symbol of Shenyang. == References ==