Passenger train vs. dump truck in North Berwick - 07-11-2011

This just in from the GRSSightings group on Yahoo:

From: Jacob Mayo
To: GuilfordRailSightings
Subject: Re: [GuilfordRailSightings] North Berwick, ME
Date: Jul 11, 2011 11:32 AM

Fire department on scene reporting Amtrak train (681) v dump truck,
locomotive fully involved, one pannenger car derail and also on fire,
multiple injuries.

-jAcob

On Jul 11, 2011, at 11:11 AM, Jacob Mayo wrote:

> North Berwick PD & FD responding to train v. car at the Elm St.
> crossing (MP 234.2), reports of explosion and fire.
>
> -jAcob

I'll post more info as it comes in.

Best wishes to everybody concerned...

Confirmed by the Portland Press Herald:

Portland Press Herald wrote:We are investigating reports that a train collided with a truck this morning on Route 4 in North Berwick.

There is reportedly one fatality, and two train cars are on fire.

Firefighters and ambulances have been summoned from neighboring towns.

Just spoke with a friend in Wells who had her scanner turned on; Wells FD and EMS were sending mutual aid to North Berwick.

Also:


http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article/16537 ... th-Berwick


http://www.wmtw.com/news/28509710/detail.html


http://www.wgme.com/newsroom/top_storie ... 8488.shtml


http://www.pressherald.com/news/Report- ... rwick.html

Truck driver was killed. Only minor injuries amongst crew and passengers of train.

This from Foster's Daily Democrat:

"NORTH BERWICK — Witnesses at the scene of the crash said the truck that collided with the DownEaster passenger train around 11:30 a.m. tried to "squeeze" between the road gates that were closing before it was struck.

There were skid marks on the roadway and a huge ball of flames.

At this time officials have said there was a possibility of a fatality and unconfirmed reports are that no passengers were injured.

The truck was described as an 18-wheeler trash hauler and at the time of this report there is some confusion as to whether the engine of the train or the truck burst into flames.

Firefighters were seen putting out fires in what was described by a Foster's photographer as "huge mess of trash" strewn around the crash site.

DownEaster passengers were being taken off the train and loaded into multiple pickup trucks. They were then placed on school buses for transport to the nearest train station, which likely would be Dover, N.H., though that was not confirmed. The train was traveling south at the time of the crash."

http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... /110719944

http://www.onlinesentinel.com/news/Repo ... rwick.html

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/28 ... 5w.blogger

Looks like quite a mess up in Maine... one person dead as of this moment, hopefully everyone else is OK...

So that we don't have two separate threads about the same subject, please continue this discussion in the Amtrak forum at: http://railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=84226