(The following story by Karen Brady appeared on The Tuttle Times website on March 5, 2009.)
TUTTLE, Okla. — A 46-car Union Pacific train derailed on Monday after striking a tractor-trailer rig carrying salt water.
According to Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Rusty Russell, the driver of a Hamm and Phillips tank truck traveling east on County Road 1220 became dizzy while attempting to shut down his rig and blacked out.
“He said the next thing he knew, he had been struck by a train,” said Russell. “Both of the train operators complained of neck and back injuries and were transported to Grady Memorial Hospital in Chickasha.” The driver of the truck was not seriously injured.
According to troopers, the train struck the tractor portion of the tank truck about 12:30 p.m. between Minco and Pocasset, about 15 miles north of Chickasha.
Union Pacific spokeswoman Raquel Espinoza-Williams said two locomotives and 18 cars derailed.
“The two locomotives are on their side, the rail cars basically derailed in a pile,” said Espinoza-Williams.
She said Union Pacific is sending officials to the site to assess the damage and begin cleanup.
The train was reportedly carrying general freight from Wichita to Ft. Worth.