BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — A Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train, not an Amtrak train, crashed Wednesday morning south of Fresno, the Bakersfield Californian reported.
Bakersfield.com on Wednesday morning reported that the crash involved an Amtrak train. Those initial reports from the California Highway Patrol in Fresno were later found to be inaccurate.
According to The Fresno Bee, visibility was down to about 150 feet Wednesday morning when a tractor-trailer rig slammed into the side of a 55-car freight train at a Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad crossing about six miles west of Kingsburg, California Highway Patrol officers reported. The truck driver and a passenger were taken to University Medical Center in Fresno where they were both listed in serious condition Wednesday afternoon.
The truck driver, Roberto Rocha, was briefly pinned in the wreckage on Elkhorn Avenue west of Clovis Avenue. The passenger, Margarito Garcia, was thrown from the vehicle. The ages and hometowns of the men weren’t immediately known, officers said.
CHP officer Daniel Bernal said the 6:55 a.m. crash happened because Rocha failed to stop for the southbound train despite working crossing arms and flashing warning lights and a blowing train whistle.
Bernal said Rocha might have tried to stop at the last minute, but was just going too fast to avoid the collision. The crash demolished the rig, tearing the cab and trailer apart.
Nobody was injured on the train, which traveled about a quarter-mile before coming to a stop, said Bernal. Lena Kent, spokeswoman for the railroad company in San Bernardino, said two freight cars were damaged in addition to the crossing lights and other equipment. She said the cars were removed and placed on a side rail for repairs.
The tracks were clear within three hours.