Kansas Truck Driver Killed in Train Collision at Unguarded, Skewed BNSF Crossing
(El Dorado, Kansas – October 22, 2024)
A Kansas tractor-trailer driver was killed yesterday morning at a BNSF railroad-highway grade crossing inside the HF Sinclair Refinery in El Dorado, Kansas. The collision occurred at about 10:00 am. The name of the driver has not been released.
According to reports, the semi driver was pulling an empty flatbed trailer when it began crossing the railroad tracks. At about the same time, a southbound freight train was also approaching the crossing. It is unknown at this time whether the southbound BNSF freight train was blowing its horn as it approached the crossing. Apparently, the semi driver noticed the train’s approach as the driver was attempting to cross the tracks, stopped, and tried to reverse. Unfortunately, there was insufficient time to avoid the collision. The freight train collided into the semi on its passenger side. The driver was thrown from the semi and died at the scene of the collision, the sheriff’s office said.
According to BNSF submitted reports, this is the fourth collision at this industrial crossing. As mentioned, the crossing is skewed, which could contribute to the difficulty in motorists timely detecting an oncoming train. BNSF also lists this crossing as “private,” meaning that it may not consistently blow the train horn to attempt to warn motorists of its approach. This industrial crossing also lacks any active warning devices, such as lights and gates, to actively warn truck drivers.
The Butler County sheriff’s office’s investigation is ongoing.
