An eastbound freight train collided with a tanker truck carrying crude oil on Range Road 114, about 35 kilometres southeast of Brooks, Alberta.

12 May 2011

Driver Dies in Fiery Alberta Train Tanker Truck Collision

Brooks Alberta - The driver of a tanker truck died Thursday morning after his vehicle was hit by a freight train at a crossing in southeastern Alberta.
 
Authorities said the eastbound Canadian Pacific train collided with a tanker truck carrying crude oil about 35 kilometres southeast of Brooks.
 
"The tanker truck exploded on contact," Canadian Pacific spokesman Mike LoVecchio said.
 
An engineer and conductor in the lead locomotive went to hospital in Brooks for smoke inhalation, but LoVecchio said they escaped serious injury.
 
Local fire departments, the RCMP, and Canadian Pacific Railway police remained at the scene throughout Thursday afternoon.
 
LoVecchio said the fire remained burning for at least an hour after the 10 a.m. collision.
 
The scene is equipped with two signs indicating the train tracks crossing the road, LoVecchio said.
 
It's not yet known if the tanker truck crossed into the path of the train or was sitting on the tracks as the train approached.
 
Even if the train crew had spotted the truck from a distance, it can take a freight train more than a kilometre to stop even under emergency braking.
 
The train was carrying a mix of goods, but no hazardous materials posing a threat to the surrounding area, LoVecchio said.
 
The train remained on the tracks, but the lead locomotive is badly damaged, he added.
 
Authorities have not released the name of the tanker-truck driver.
 
Brooks is about 175 kilometres southeast of Calgary.
 
Jason van Rassel.