POLK COUNTY, Fla. – Eight people were hurt when an Amtrak train crashed into a semitruck’s car hauler at a Lakeland crossing Friday evening, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
The crash occurred on N Canal Avenue, just south of U.S. Route 92 (E Memorial Boulevard), and ensuing traffic issues along US-92 in the area were expected to continue until cleanup was completed, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. US-92 and N Canal Avenue were closed for around 10 hours.
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Deputies were dispatched around 7 p.m., responding to the crash alongside Lakeland police and firefighters.
Amtrak officials told News 6 that the semitruck’s car hauler was obstructing the track, causing the front portion of the lead locomotive of Amtrak Train 92 to derail in the crash, springing a fuel leak in one of the train’s two engines.
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There were two men inside of the semitruck, which was headed north and carried seven vehicles when the trailer became stuck on the tracks, according to the sheriff’s office.
An engineer on the train — which was pulling eight cars from Miami to New York, heading east at around 78 mph after a stop in Tampa — began to blow the horn upon seeing the trailer on the tracks.
Both men jumped out of the semitruck as the crossing signal arms made contact with the trailer, the sheriff’s office said.
Following impact, the train reportedly continued for another 200 yards before coming to a stop. Current estimates put the cost of the crash somewhere between $6 million and $10 million dollars, factoring in such things as damage to the train, damage to CSX property, the cost of the cleanup and losses incurred during downtime, according to the sheriff’s office. The semitruck’s driver was later given a citation for insufficient clearance at a railroad crossing.
Amtrak worked with first responders to move 163 passengers and 10 crew members from the train to a shelter, later back to Tampa via bus. Eight people were taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries, one of whom was a self-transport, the sheriff’s office said.
The crash is still being investigated.
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