BREAKING NEWS - Vehicle vs Train - Town of Atherton

Menlo Park Fire Protection District - February 10, 2018

Menlo Park Firefighters responded to a vehicle that was reportedly on fire and jammed under a  South bound Caltrain Passenger Train Locomotive that was able to finally stop just short of Watkins Avenue Railroad Crossing at 8.13 pm Saturday night.

Captain Tim Bogner on Menlo Engine 3 arrived on scene at 8.17 pm and reported that they had a white convertible vehicle on fire that was pinned and entangled under the front grill of a South bound Caltrain locomotive. Upon further investigation, they found the vehicle was not occupied.

The unoccupied classic 1950’s era Austin Healey motor vehicle had reportedly stalled at the Fairoaks Rail Crossing and the driver had gotten out of the vehicle before it was struck by the Southbound Train. The vehicle was drug under the front of the locomotive for about a quarter of a mile until the train was able to stop just short of the Watkins Avenue Rail Crossing.

In all, three Fire Engines, one Ladder Truck and a Battalion Chief responded with 14 Fire personnel to this incident. After extinguishing the vehicle fire, Menlo Park Firefighters were able to free what was left of the classic car by 10.26 pm using the jaws of life and other extrication equipment to free the twisted metal and debris from under the much larger locomotive.

A total of over 300 passengers were safely transferred to another train while Menlo Park Firefighters disentangled the vehicle from the front of the locomotive. There were no injuries reported.

Fire Chief Schapelhouman said “this is the second vehicle that has been struck at this intersection in the last four years and then caught fire. The last time this occurred in December of 2014, a driver following his navigation system on a dark and rainy night turned onto the tracks and the vehicle became stuck. Fortunately, in both of these cases, the drivers were able to escape from their vehicles before being struck by a Southbound Passenger Train”.

Photos Below - Menlo Park Firefighters extinguish and disentangle a classic vehicle that had stalled on the Railroad Tracks at the FairOaks Avenue Crossing and was then struck by a Southbound Passenger Caltrain Saturday evening - Please credit Menlo Fire Battalion 1 for all Pictures.

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Menlo Park Firefighters use the Jaws of Life to cut and disentangle a twisted and burned out 1950’s era Austin Healey motor vehicle from under the front of a Southbound Caltrain Passenger Train Locomotive Saturday evening

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The remains of the Classic 1950’s era Convertible Austin Healy

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December 2014 Train vs. Vehicle


 

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