An electric locomotive crashed to the ground after a crane snapped while lifting it at the Electric Loco Shed near Erode Junction railway station here on Friday (May 15, 2026).

According to sources, repair and maintenance works for electric locomotives are regularly carried out at the shed. A damaged locomotive was being shifted to a repair ramp using a crane when the accident occurred.

Unable to bear the load of the nearly 80-tonne engine, the crane reportedly collapsed, causing the engine, which was suspended at a height of around 50 feet, to fall to the ground and suffer damage.

Railway workers alleged that inadequate periodic maintenance of cranes and machinery at the workshop led to the accident. They also urged the authorities to initiate action against officials responsible for the alleged safety lapses at the loco shed.