On Tuesday, a train derailed in Collegedale, Tennessee, after colliding with a flatbed trailer hauling a 134-foot concrete bridge beam.
The collision happened at the intersection of Apison Pike and University Drive around noon on Tuesday. According to the Chattanoogan, the accident wrecked the truck’s flatbed trailer as well as a locomotive and ten railcars.
Watch the video below to see what happened when the train slammed into the trailer and concrete beam:
When a motorist dialed 911, the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department and the Collegedale Police Department were rushed to the site. To cope with some leaking diesel fuel, the Chatanooga Fire Department joined the investigation and cleanup of the site, along with special detectives and a hazmat crew.
“Initial indications do not suggest any hazardous material automobiles involved,” a Norfolk Sothern spokesperson stated.
But how did this terrible incident start off. Early investigations revealed that it was just a bad turn of events.
“The driver of the tractor trailer was stopped on the railroad tracks waiting for the light to turn green on Tucker Road. During that time, Norfolk Southern Railroad activated its crossing arms. The tractor trailer was unsuccessful in clearing the railroad tracks and was hit by the train. Three locomotives and ten railroad cars derailed and slammed into each other, causing a disastrous mess,” stated a spokesperson for county emergency preparedness.
In the accident, two Norfolk Southern employees were hurt. The truck driver, who was reportedly attempting to cross the train tracks when the load was struck, was not injured, according to the New York Post.
