Canton Township, July 10: An Amtrak passenger train carrying about 170 people struck a car that had skirted a gate at a road crossing near Detroit, killing all five people in the sedan, authorities said. The victims were believed to be teens.
The crossing has a gate and flashing lights that apparently were working when the car approached, said Sgt. Mark Gajeski, a police spokesman. Based on witness accounts, “it looks like they probably did go around the arm. They went around the gate,” Mr. Gajeski said.
The crash occurred around 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, about 32 km west of Detroit, police Sgt. Craig Wilsher said. He said the vehicle was heading north when it crossed the train tracks and was struck. The train typically travels about 67 mph (108 kph) at the site of the crash, Mr. Gajeski said.
The car was broadsided and pushed down the tracks. It crumpled underneath the front of the train and ended up right-side up, its roof and front crushed.
No one aboard the train was injured, an Amtrak spokesman said. Passengers were being bused to Ann Arbor to catch a later train to Chicago.
–Agencies