A crumpled car is hauled out of a ditch after it collided with a train - 3 Mar 2012 Ruth Bonneville.

4 March 2012

Slippery Roads Twisted Metal

Winnipeg Manitoba - A car-train crash that sent a man to hospital was one of two major collisions in Winnipeg Saturday as residents dug out from Friday's snowstorm.
 
RCMP said officers responded to a call at about 1:30 p.m. Saturday involving a car-train collision at Sturgeon Road and Inkster Boulevard.
 
Const. Miles Hiebert said a 1999 Oldsmobile Alero was struck by a Canadian Pacific Railway train as the car was crossing the tracks.
 
The driver, the only occupant of the car, was taken to hospital with unspecified injuries. Hiebert said he did not know the extent of the injuries.
 
"They get bundled up and to the hospital as quick as we can," Hiebert said. "He was alive when they left."
 
There were unconfirmed reports that it looked as if the driver tried to beat the train, crashing through the crossing arms and coming to a stop on the tracks just before the vehicle was struck by the train.
 
The car was dragged about 20 metres after the collision.
 
The warning bells and lights appeared to have been operational and visibility was good.
 
Hiebert said police are looking for witnesses.
 
"We're going to speak to the driver when we can, and we will interview the train crew."