Officials told WCNC.com in Charlotte the accident happened on U.S. 301 and highway 903 in the town of Halifax this afternoon. Lt. Jeff Gordon, with the North Carolina Highway Patrol, said the truck with a trailer over 160-feet long, carrying electrical supplies and wiring, was being escorted by highway patrol officers. When the truck tried to make a turn on U.S. 301, it got stuck and was trying to back up.
NBC News reported a local newspaper said the locomotive and baggage car of the train derailed and a third car partially derailed. Of the 213 passengers on the train, 55 are reported injured. The NCByTrain site has said the uninjured passengers will board a train in Richmond, Va. tonight to continue their trip to New York City.
The train was headed for New York City with other stops along the way, including Richmond, Va. The tractor-trailer belongs to Guy M. Turner Inc., an industrial company. It was headed from Johnson County to the Virginia State Line where Virginia State Highway Patrol would take over escort duties.
Eyewitness Leslie Cipriani, of Roanoke Rapids, told local media the tractor-trailer backed up several times as the driver tried to make a left turn. A few minutes later, she heard the sound of the oncoming train and saw the cross bars hit the tractor-trailer. The driver then jumped out of the truck, she added.
The truck did have a Department of Transportation (DOT) permit because of its length. Lt. Gordon said there was nothing the truck driver could do and its proper procedure for the state police to notify railroad authorities. It has not been verified that alerting Amtrak had been done in this case.
The trucking company issued a statement: “Guy M. Turner, Inc. is committed to the safety of its employees, customers, and the general public. We do not know the extent of injuries, but our thoughts and prayers are with any who may have been injured in this incident.”
