Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday expressed his gratitude to local residents who volunteered to join rescue efforts in a fatal high-speed train collision in Wenzhou of eastern Zhejiang Province.

Many Wenzhou people set up rescue teams, and over 1,000 people voluntarily donated their blood, said Wen when meeting reporters at the scene of a fatal train crash last Saturday.

They also paid patient and meticulous efforts to comfort the families of the deceased and the injured, he said.

"I thank the people here, thank you," Wen said.

The high-speed train rear-end collision that happened late Saturday near the city of Wenzhou in Zhejiang has left 39 people dead and 192 others injured.