Train crashes into truck; no rail traffic between Eindhoven and Venlo

By Janene Pieters on May 30, 2017 - 07:32
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. Photo: Wikimedia Commons/AlfvanBeem

A freight train collided with a truck in northern Limburg on Tuesday morning. The accident happened at a railway crossing near Colombusweg, between Blerick and Sevenum. No one was injured. No train traffic will be possible between Eindhoven and Venlo for the rest of the day, ProRail expects, ANP reports.

The truck went up in flames after the collision. The train is slightly damaged. The drivers of both vehicles escaped unharmed. The truck was dragged along the train for several meters. It seems that the truck driver managed to jump out of the vehicle before the train hit, a spokesperson for the fire department said to the news wire.

The cause of the accident is still unclear. The Environment and Transport Inspectorate is investigating. The crossing is guarded with barriers and signals. 

According to the fire department, neither truck nor train were transporting hazardous substances and there is no danger to residents. The investigation into the accident and the cleanup will take all day, the fire department expects. According to ProRail, the wagon behind the train locomotive is partly off the track, but the rest of the train remained on it. ProRail is currently investigating the damage to the track. 

No train traffic is possible between Venlo and Eindhoven until the cleanup and track repairs are done. This is expected to take the rest of the day. Buses are being deployed, but travelers are advised to take extra travel time into account. 

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