A man was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries after his dump truck collided with a CN freight train Thursday morning, east of Fort Langley.
The driver of the truck was trapped in the cab of the vehicle, which was pushed for some distance down the tracks. Rescue crews were eventually able to free him, and he was transported to hospital by air ambulance. Langley RCMP say he has life-threatening injuries.
It's believed the driver panicked and froze, before the train hit the truck he was in, said police. He may have been unfamiliar with the area and the rail crossing, said Cpl. Holly Marks.
The crash took place on a private crossing off River Road. Remnants of the truck ended up near River and Armstrong Roads. It occurred about 10 a.m.
Langley RCMP say there were no dangerous goods aboard the train.
Robin Miller heard the crash and rushed to the scene.
"I could hear the train trying to decelerate and then I heard bang, bang, bang," said Miller.
The driver was trapped inside his cab for more than an hour, said Miller.
A resident of the area, Miller said trains, 100 cars deep, rumble through the area going around 40 km/hr in his estimation.
"We have lots of dump trucks in the area using that crossing," Miller said.