At least 102 people were injured in an accident on Thursday in the Beijing subway when cars collided on an above-ground section, state-run Chinese television CCTV reported today.

The Chinese capital, where these kinds of accidents are rarelyhas been affected in recent days by heavy snowfalls which have caused problems in the circulation of means of transport.

The incident took place yesterday afternoon at 18:57 (local time, 12:57 Greek time), rush hour, in an above-ground section of the metro near Siertsi station. The train was headed for Changping, a district in the northern part of Beijing.

“A total of 515 people were hospitalized to undergo examinations, of which 102 were found to have fractures. There have been no deaths,” the television network said, according to which “67 people are still hospitalized.”

A previous tally by local authorities last night said more than 30 people were injured.

Media showed images showing passengers slumped down, others holding their composure in a carriage half-immersed in darkness, and some using emergency hammers to break a window and get out.

Other videos show a crowd of passengers walking away from the crash site in the snow and firefighters helping an elderly man to move.

According to preliminary data, the accident was caused by snow making the tracks slippery and affecting the operation of the emergency brakeCCTV pointed out.

“A train behind was on a downhill slope, so it slid on the tracks and failed to brake effectively, which caused a collision with a train in front,” he explained.

The management company of the Beijing subway apologized for the accident. “We sincerely apologize for the accident that occurred this afternoon,” the company wrote on Weibo. “Passengers who left the site unaccompanied during the evacuation and who are not feeling well can contact us at any time. We will bear the cost of their care,” he added.

Such incidents are rare in China, as metros in major cities are modern and generally safe.