Early-morning collision with train leads to driver’s death

A truck driver was killed after a train crashed through a semi truck in Pennsylvania Thursday morning. 

The accident happened in Cheswick at approximately 5:20 a.m. at the 100 block of Pittsburgh Street at Blockdale Street.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the tractor trailer was crossing the tracks when it was struck by a Norfolk Southern train, pushing the rig into a nearby brick building. The coal-hauling train was able to come to a stop approximately 100 yards from the scene of the accident. 

No one inside of the building was injured in the crash, but the truck driver was killed in the impact. 

“I had no idea what happened, but it looked pretty bad,” said James Kuchinski, a cashier at the Sunoco gas station across the street from the crash scene.

“I’m not sure if the truck got stuck (on the tracks) or he was trying to back up, but sadly he didn’t make it in time.”

Crews worked to remove the body from the cab and the truck from the scene until around 10 a.m.