During what turned out to be an eventful night of accidents in Bridgeport, none may have been more troublesome as to what could have happened involving a train plowing into a car on Main Street near Orchard Street.

 

The incident took place at roughly 3:30 a.m. and despite media reports that the car was left abandoned on the tracks, the occupants of the vehicle were very much near the scene when the collision took place, according to Harrison County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy S.R. Johnson.

 

“The vehicle and the occupants were coming down Orchard Street at that time and it was raining,” said Johnson. “The driver said he lost control of the vehicle and slid across the road onto the train tracks.”

 

When the car came to a rest there was a bigger problem than just stopping in the middle of the tracks. According to Johnson, the car wouldn’t budge.

 

“(The driver) tried to get the car to go off the tracks, but it wouldn’t move. Eventually, the driver and the passengers tried to get out and help move the car,” Johnson said.

 

As nerve-wracking as that situation likely was, things went from bad to worse. The individuals with the car went from knowing it was possible that a train was going to come to knowing that one was, in fact, coming.

 

“Soon after they were out of the vehicle, the signal came on and the rails came down to indicate that a train was coming,” said Johnson.

 

A quick call to 911 dispatch proved beneficial. Johnson said at that late hour contact was quickly made to CSX, who alerted the train.

 

“The train knew the vehicle was there and was able to slow down some, but the train was unable to stop in time,” said Johnson.

 

The end result was the train totaled the car. Due to the fact that it had slowed down, the car was mangled and pushed over the hill in an area toward the Bridgeport City Pool. Fortunately, the only damage done – besides that to the car – involved the earth being torn up. No nearby builders were damaged.

 

“It certainly could have been worse. The train was hauling 80 empty coal cars,” said Johnson. “I don’t believe the train had any damage, but the car was knocked off the road 25 feet and shoved pretty strongly. It didn’t explode like you’d see in the movies because it had decelerated. It wasn’t the crushing type of explosion you might expect.”

 

Johnson said the driver of the vehicle was not intoxicated or under the influence of any drugs. He also said there were no citations issued.

 

The Bridgeport Fire Department also responded to the scene. With units already involved with an incident involving a natural gas fire and a vehicle in the Twin Oaks area of Bridgeport, city fire were able to get additional units to the scene of this situation.

“We made sure there weren’t any injuries, provided lighting to help clear the scene and begin traffic control,” Hart said.

 

The Bridgeport Fire Department’s heavy rescue truck provided the lighting to make things easier. However, all the lighting in the world couldn’t help with the traffic problem.

 

“When the train came to a stop it was blocking the Orchard Street area and it was blocking the area (along Virginia Avenue),” said Johnson.

 

Because of that, traffic was backed up until it decided to move. Hart said for two hours, individuals wanting to get through Bridgeport traveling along U.S. Route 50 East would have had to cut down Lodgeville Road, while those traveling Route 50 West could have gotten as far as Center Street before making a move.

 

Earlier that same evening, a two-vehicle accident on Bridgeport Hill in front of the Home Depot resulted in two cars being heavily damaged, according to Dan Riggs of Dan Riggs Towing. Riggs said despite the serious looking nature of the incident, it appeared that no one was hurt in that situation. Further details on that were unavailable. For more information on the fire at Twin Oaks Drive, click HERE.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows the hillside where the vehicle was pushed, while bottom photo is a file picture of a train crossing Main Street near the Orchard Street intersection.