A tractor-trailer driver was killed after his truck got hit by a train on 20 August, Thursday, in Cheswick, Pennsylvania.
The crash took place at 5:20 a.m. in the 1000 block of Pittsburgh Street at Blockdale Street, said Allegheny County emergency officials.
Regional Police said that the accident happened when the Norfolk Southern train collided with the truck when the truck tried to cross the tracks.
Some speculation arose that the truck got stuck on the truck, but police officials said this was not the case. Michael Naviglia, Police Chief, said that the crossing has no gates to prevent drivers from crossing when a train passes by. Naviglia also added that the tractor-trailer was not stuck on the tracks.
Locals say that this crossing is known for motorists trying to beat the train when crossing the tracks.
Naviglia also added that police believe he passed across the tracks, but then attempted to back up.
Police report says that the truck was attempting a sharp turn when the collision happened. They believe that the trucker saw the train and tried to back up by doing a sharp turn.
Naviglia said that the train was following all protocols to signal its approach to the truck. The train stopped 100 feet past the impact point.
From the impact, the truck was pushed into a nearby building. The building was occupied at the time of the crash. No one from the people inside was injured.
The driver, a 55-year-old man whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Almost 5 hours later, at 10 a.m., the truck was removed from the scene.
A local, James Kuchinski, who works as a cashier at a Sunoco gas station located across the street, said, “I had no idea what happened, but it looked pretty bad.”
He added, “I’m not sure if the truck got stuck on the tracks or he was trying to back up, but sadly, he didn’t make it in time.”
