NewsNational News

Actions

1 dead, at least 66 hurt when train, truck collide in West Va.

Posted at 6:18 PM, Oct 11, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-11 23:00:40-04

(CNN) — A logging truck collided with a passenger train on Friday afternoon in West Virginia, killing the truck driver and injuring 66 others, a local emergency official said.

At least 12 people suffered serious injuries, said Randolph County emergency management director Jim Wise.

The truck struck the train around 1:30 p.m. in the county of about 30,000 people in the east-central part of the state, said Shawn Dunbrack, the emergency management director in neighboring Pocahontas County. That county is one of two that were helping Randolph County respond to the incident.

Two cars also were struck by the logging truck, authorities said.

The truck driver was pronounced dead at the scene, said Tracy Fath, a spokeswoman at Davis Memorial Hospital. The identity of the driver has not been released pending notification of next of kin.

A total of 21 people were taken by ambulance to Davis Memorial Hospital in Elkins, according to Wise. Another 45 with less severe injuries were transported to the same hospital.

The crash prompted authorities to close parts of U.S. 250, from Huttonsville to to the Pocahontas County line, a post on Randolph County’s emergency management Facebook page said.

CNN’s Maria White contributed to this report.