Train Crashes in Downtown Douglasville

A train crashed into a tractor-trailer that was stuck on the railroad track at the Highway 92 and Broad Street intersection at 10:23 a.m. There were no injuries reported, according to Sgt. B. Loudermilk of the

The tractor-trailer had attempted to illegally cross the intersection and became hung up on the track, Loudermilk said. The train was traveling westbound and was unable to stop.

“The driver of the truck was able to get out in time,” he said. “The driver was charged with truck route violation and obedience of traffic control devices and given a citation.”

Police said the driver of the tractor-trailer ignored several signs that say do not cross at that intersection. He could have crossed at the Mozley Street intersection, one crossing down.

Loudermilk said the driver of the truck is from Mississippi.

Norfolk Southern, owner of the train, called in a private hazmat team to deal with the diesel fuel.

“I heard a guy screaming … 'Go, go, the train’s coming.’  I looked up and saw the whole thing,” said Haley Butler, who works at , across the street from the accident. She said she was cleaning the restaurant's windows at the time.

“It really wasn’t that loud; I guess the train wasn’t going that fast,” Butler said.

“All I heard was the train continuously blowing its horn,” said Deborah Maxwell, who works at , across the street from the crash. “The train slowed down; there was a big crash. Bam! Then I heard the gravel sliding.”

She added: “It must have already been reported that there was a train stuck on the track because the police were here in like three to five minutes.”

Broad Street is open but congested, and the Highway 92 intersection is closed. According to Loudermilk, there doesn’t appear to be any damage to the track, and the scene should be cleaned up shortly.

This is the second time this year there has been a train accident in Downtown Douglasville. Read prior Patch stories here and here.