BNSF train hits a tanker truck hauling beef tallow on NE 29th Street after the driver runs clear

A BNSF train slammed into a semitrailer tanker loaded with beef tallow at a North Side rail crossing Wednesday afternoon, seconds after the truck's driver jumped from the cab and ran.

The collision happened about 2:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in the 600 block of Northeast 29th Street, FOX 4 reported, citing Fort Worth police, Fort Worth Fire and the railroad. The truck had been trying to cross the tracks and appears to have become stuck, according to the station.

Video obtained by FOX 4 shows the driver climbing out and bolting away seconds before the locomotive reaches the tanker.

Fort Worth police told FOX 4 that one of the train's conductors also jumped off before impact. BNSF said one of its employees was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening. The station's report did not describe any injuries to the truck driver.

Fort Worth Fire said no roads were closed after the crash, according to FOX 4.

Railroad: crossing had gates and lights

In a statement, BNSF said the crossing is equipped with gates and lights and that it is working with local law enforcement on the investigation. The railroad said the incident "serves as a serious reminder of the importance of exercising great caution around railroad tracks."

BNSF urged drivers and pedestrians to stay off the tracks, saying people who break traffic laws at crossings or walk on railroad property put themselves and train crews at risk. It asks anyone who sees a problem at one of its crossings to call its emergency operations center, open around the clock, at 1-800-832-5452.

Neither police nor the railroad has said publicly what kept the truck on the tracks or whether the driver will face a citation.

Sources

FOX 4

WFAA