Truck driver makes 'miraculous escape' as train wrecks his rig

by Michaelangelo Conte

A tractor trailer was destroyed by a train in Jersey City this afternoon and the injured truck driver barely escaped by jumping from his cab, officials said.

The driver of the truck apparently parked by mistake on the tracks at Norfolk Southern's Croxton Yard on County Avenue in Jersey City at 12:08 p.m., Fire Director Armando Roman said.

The train coming down the line was unable to stop and it totaled the truck's cab and trailer, Roman said.

"It was a miraculous escape," Roman said of the truck driver, who suffered a broken arm jumping down from his rig and has been taken to the Jersey City Medical Center for treatment.

The fire department's hazmat unit responded to clean up a large spill of diesel fuel that ran out of the train's tanks after the collision, Roman said.

By about 2:30 p.m. firefighters had left the train yard.

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train wreck

A tractor trailer was destroyed by a train in Jersey City yesterday and the injured truck driver barely escaped the oncoming train by jumping from his cab, officials said.

The driver of the truck, whose container was empty, apparently parked on the tracks by mistake at Croxton Yard in the Norfolk Southern train yards on County Avenue in Jersey City, Fire Director Armando Roman said. The train coming down the line at 12:08 p.m. was unable to stop and it totaled the truck's cab and trailer, Roman said.

"It was a miraculous escape," said Roman of the truck driver who suffered a broken arm and a cut on his leg jumping down from his rig. He was treated at Jersey City Medical Center.

The train hit the rear end of the trailer and spun the entire rig around, pinning it against a steel post fence running along the tracks. Workers at the train yard wrapped chains around the truck and used a crane to lift it enough to allow the train to pull away.

"That guy should play the lottery today," said one responder after seeing the wreckage and learning that the driver had not suffered more serious injuries.

The wreck punched a hole in the train's fuel tank, which carries 3,800 gallons of diesel. Workers at the yard plugged the hole and the tank suffered no further damage when the train was pulled away from the crushed truck.

The Fire Department's hazardous materials unit responded to clean up the small amount of fuel that spilled, Roman said, adding that by about 2:30 p.m. firefighters had left the train yard, which is located off Tonnelle Avenue.