Train hits stuck semi-truck in Zeeland Township; no injuries reported
No one was hurt after an eastbound train struck a semi-truck trailer that became stuck on railroad tracks in Zeeland Township Wednesday night.
The crash happened about 10:20 p.m. at 76th Avenue and Chicago Drive, according to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.
A 61-year-old Hart man was driving west on Chicago Drive and turning north onto 76th Avenue when the semi-truck became stuck on the tracks, deputies said. The driver got out of the cab before the train struck the trailer.
The impact split the trailer in half and left the train’s engine inoperable. Cleanup crews worked for several hours as the disabled train blocked 76th Avenue while a replacement engine was brought in.
Hazmat workers also responded to a possible fuel leak from the train’s engine but cleared the scene shortly afterward, according to the sheriff’s office.
The train and debris had been removed by 5:40 a.m. Thursday, and the railroad crossing reopened. The crash remains under investigation.
How are train collisions different from other accidents in Michigan?
A train collision can raise separate questions about crossing design and maintenance, warning equipment, track conditions, train operations and the actions of people using the roadway.
Federal track safety standards govern certain track conditions within the general railroad system. Separate federal grade crossing signal system requirements govern highway rail crossing warning systems. Those standards do not establish legal responsibility in a particular crash.
Records that may be relevant include crossing inspection and maintenance records, signal data, train event data, crew communications and video or photographs showing the roadway and crossing. The facts determine which records matter and whether a legal claim exists.
Get help from Michigan Legal Center
Michigan Legal Center is the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates. Its practice includes personal injury matters.
People with questions after a Michigan railroad-crossing or commercial-vehicle crash can contact Michigan Legal Center to ask whether their matter is within the firm’s practice.
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