Truck and Amtrak Train Collision Causes Fire Ball at California Crossing
(Oakland, California – March 18, 2021)
A collision between an Amtrak train and truck results in a large fire and severe damage last week in Oakland, California. The Amtrak train was traveling to Los Angeles from Seattle when the collision occurred just before 9:00 am on March 18, 2021. The collision occurred at the railroad-highway grade crossing of Fruitvale Ave and E 10th. The truck involved in the collision immediately caught on fire and was dragged approximately 30 yards before discarding it off the tracks.
The driver, 73-year-old Javier Soria, told reporters that their truck was stuck on the track. “All of a sudden, I saw that I got stuck and then I saw the (train) light and said ‘Oh, my God.’ I tried to go back and forward and he said, ‘You have to get out of the truck, that train is going to hit you!’ So I ran across the street and tried to stop the Amtrak – but no he wouldn’t stop, he just kept going,” Soria said.
According to Soria, the truck’s wheels were stuck on the tracks and as a result, they could not get the truck off the tracks. Once they realized the train was coming Soria and his passenger jumped out of the truck and attempted to warn the Amtrak train.
An Amtrak spokesperson says the Amtrak Coast Starlight train 11 had 111 passengers and crew members on board.
