Aftermath of Car Carrier Smashed In Kent Train Accident
Friday, January 30, 2009 – updated: 3:50 pm PST January 30, 2009

KENT, Wash. -- A car-carrier semi-truck has collided with a freight train at a crossing in Kent.


The Burlington Northern Santa Fe freight train was pulling 109 railcars and was approaching a crossing at in Kent at about 1:15 p.m. Friday.

As the gate was coming down, a semi-truck carrying cars attempted to drive through the crossing when the gate came down on the semi, said Gus Melonas of Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

Eyewitnesses said the driver of the semi got out and looked at the gate on his truck while the freight train was still travelling at 45 miles per hour toward the crossing.

The train engineer applied the full break in an attempt to stop, but struck the semi. In the meantime, the driver of the semi ran from the scene, Melonas said.

At least two cars were thrown off the truck and one of them was dragged a quarter mile by the train.

Fire Department spokesman Kyle Ohashi said as much as 200 gallons of diesel spilled from the truck. It has been contained and is being cleaned up.

Kent police and Burlington Northern Santa Fe are investigating.

The collision is blocking South 212 Street at the Burlington Northern tracks at 77th Avenue South, said Kent spokesman Kyle Ohashi.

Ohashi expects the tracks to be closed for an extended period of time.