April 23, 2012

1:27 PM

At 10:40 am a train hit a heavy equipment hauler (low boy) knocking it's contents off of the trailer. The driver of the trailer was intending to cross Sandy Blvd. at 142nd when the train clipped the back end. Portland Fire & Rescue crews from Station 12 (Sandy Blvd.) and Station 2 (Parkrose) acted swiftly to mitigate any further damage. The driver of the trailer was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries.

There were 1,956 vehicle-train collisions in the U.S. in 2011 compared to 2,017 incidents in 2010; those collisions resulted in 262 deaths (up 2.3 percent from 2010) and 964 injuries (up 12.9 percent). There were 428 trespass-related pedestrian deaths last year (down 1.4 percent).

Even with these safety gains, a person or vehicle is hit about every three hours in the U.S. by a train.

Portland Fire & Rescue wants to remind everyone to pay attention to posted railroad signs and be extra careful around train tracks.