UPDATED: 10:53 a.m., Thursday:
A CSX freight train and a concrete truck collided early Thursday morning in Middletown Township.
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The collision happened just before 5:30 a.m. at the intersection of Township Line Road and Big Oak Road.
Credit: Submitted
The crash caused extensive damage, but no reported injuries.
The driver of the concrete truck was able to escape before the impact, Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company Chief Frank Farry said.
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The force of the crash was enough that the cab of the truck was torn away, and the train dragged the rear section more than half a mile from the collision site.
Emergency crews were dispatched shortly before 5:30 a.m. following reports of the collision and subsequent fires along the rail line, Farry said.
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An estimated 100 gallons of diesel fuel from the truck spilled, and small brush fires were ignited, Farry said.
The train’s powerful momentum not only dragged the truck but also damaged the overhead electrical system in the process.
The cargo aboard the CSX freight train remained intact and no spillage was reported, according to Farry and other officials at the scene.
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The aftermath of the collision left the tracks and adjacent woods covered in concrete powder, extending from the crash site to where the truck eventually came to rest, which was not far from the Woodbourne Train Station.
As a result of the collision, both the freight service and the SEPTA Regional Rail service on the West Trenton Line experienced disruptions.
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Big Oak and Township Line Road were anticipated to remain closed throughout the afternoon, police said.
Crews from Rob’s Automotive were at the scene and working separate the mangled truck from the train.
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The cause of the collision was still under investigation.
One official said there was footage from the train of the collision.
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Inspectors and personnel from SEPTA and CSX were conducting an investigation and assessing the state of the equipment.
Local school districts, including Neshaminy and Pennsbury, issued advisories to parents that morning bus routes were affected by to the crash.
In addition to the Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company, the Falls Township, Fairless Hills, Newtown, and Penndel fire companies were on the scene. The Bucks County Hazmat Team, Middletown Township Department of Fire and Emergency Management, and CSX police also responded.
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Original Story:
An early morning collision between a concrete truck and a freight train caused significant disruption Thursday that impacted both road and rail commuters in the area.
The crash occurred shortly before 5:30 a.m. at the railroad crossing on Township Line Road at Big Oak Road, which is located on the border of Middletown Township and Lower Makefield Township.
The response saw local police, firefighters, and the county hazmat team dispatched to the scene.
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No serious injuries were reported, an official said.
Although there was a fuel spill from the incident, the official said no other hazardous materials leaked.
There were also preliminary reports of a brush fire nearby, but its connection to the crash remained uncertain as of publication.
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As a result of the collision, SEPTA’s West Trenton Line service was suspended from the Woodbourne Train Station to New Jersey.
The suspension left many rail commuters seeking alternate means of transportation.
Several surrounding roads were closed, which caused further traffic disruptions.
Parents in the Pennsbury and Neshaminy school districts were advised to anticipate potential traffic delays for students due to the crash and road closures.
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Langhorne-Middletown Fire Company Chief Frank Farry said the road closures are expected to be in place for an extended period of time.
Authorities remained on the scene as of 6:45 a.m. investigating cause of the crash.
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