Image reproduced from 公視新聞

Located in the old quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, the 'Train Street Café' is a popular tourist attraction. Here, coffee shops line the railway tracks, providing visitors with the unique opportunity to enjoy traditional Vietnamese coffee while being in close proximity to passing trains.

However, a recent incident has raised safety concerns as a foreign tourist nearly lost his life while filming a train passing by. Videos of the incident have gone viral on social media, drawing significant attention from authorities.

Reports indicate that a video showcasing Hanoi's Train Street Café gained widespread popularity online. In the footage, numerous tourists eagerly filmed the train as it rolled through the café street. Among them, a male tourist clad in white pants got a bit too close, with his left leg extending beyond the safety zone, and in the next moment he was struck hard on the knee by the train car's edge, sending him tumbling forward. Fortunately, nearby tourists quickly reached out to pull him to safety, preventing him from being dragged under the train. However, his small table was swept away, shattered in the process, prompting gasps from onlookers.

The video circulated widely in Vietnam, sparking heated discussions among the public. In reality, the train street café has previously faced forced closures due to safety risks stemming from excessive furniture placement by vendors and the reckless behavior of tourists, creating a hazardous situation for both trains and visitors.

In response to the incident depicted in the video, an official from the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Safety's Traffic Police Department stated that they instructed relevant departments to verify the video content, and any illegal actions would be strictly addressed. The official emphasized that the traffic police have recently coordinated with related departments to hold multiple awareness campaigns and have fined businesses that violate railway safety regulations, although a number of businesses continue to breach these rules citing reasons such as 'promoting local tourism' or 'for survival.'

This incident highlights the need to prioritize safety while pursuing unique travel experiences. It is hoped that local authorities will implement and enforce more safety measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.