One person dead following train track collision

Mar 28, 2016 | 10:22 AM

KAMLOOPS —Many Dallas residents awoke this morning to tragedy in their neighbourhood.

Kamloops RCMP are investigating after a crash between a train and a vehicle on pat road that has left one man dead.

Residents say they are shaken up by the incident, which happened at about 9am, Monday, March 28. 

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Residence described the scene this morning in Dallas after a car was struck on the train tracks at Pat Road.

“The train was honking it’s horn and then the crash came and it was really loud – and then I look outside my window which is the front window right there and all I see is this car smoking there,” said Malina Griffiths, who lives just across the street from the tracks.

“It appears that a vehicle has crossed the train crossing when the crossing gate was down and stopped on the tracks in front of a train. The car was struck by a train CP rail and the driver was deceased at the scene,” said Staff Sgt. Edward Preto.

Police are stilling trying to piece together exactly what happened but believe the car was struck at the intersection and was then dragged approximately 50 metres down the tracks before coming to a halt.

“It was a big crash and it just came flying down the road,”Griffiths said.

The train tracks lay just steps away from homes in the area and some neighbors say it’s been the site of some close calls.

“I’ve seen two or three accidents here – like last year a woman missed the curve down here and ended up between the rail road tracks and sort of ended up jammed up against one train and you know there’s been a few back on the corner over here,” said Dallas resident Jim Chipura.

Police say the driver of the vehicle was a man, and he was alone in the car. Police have not yet identified him. The BC Coroners Service was on scene and Kamloops RCMP as well as CP Police are continuing to investigate.