Tobu Railway disclosed in an interim report that, during vegetation-clearing work near Shin-Kanuma Station in Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture, the site supervisor had not given prior instructions on the lookout's position.
On 30th, Tobu Railway submitted an interim report to the Kanto District Transport Bureau of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, acknowledging violations of site rules during vegetation-clearing work. According to the report, the work supervisor from the prime contractor had not given specific instructions in his capacity as site supervisor. It also pointed to problems with the response of the supervisor who effectively delegated instructions to the site representative, and noted that no meeting had been held.
The interim report stated that a total of 10 people were engaged in the work, that no specific safety-management instructions had been given, including on the positioning of lookouts, and that there were problems with the response of the supervisor who left instructions to the site agent. There were also no records of a meeting at the site, and the position of the lookout had not been clearly determined.
The accident occurred at around 10:45 a.m. on 20 August. A total of 10 people, including a representative of 東武建設, were involved in the work. A team to clear vegetation and a lookout system were scheduled to be put in place, but the interim report indicated deficiencies in the chain of command at the site.
When the accident occurred, the intermediate lookout at the site was waiting on the level-crossing side, but is believed to have started work without instructions. Later, as a train approached, warnings were given to the workers by whistle and other means. The train stopped and avoided colliding with the site, while 4 people, including supervisors, remained with their backs to the platform and collided with the train.