20/October/2017 – Fatal Train vs Car MVC – “A” Shift

Incident # 17-07250 – A 27 year old Walterboro man died from injuries he received after his car collided with a northbound Amtrak train at a private rural rail crossing near the Green Pond community. The accident was reported at 09:28 Friday morning 20-October. Witnesses advised the car failed to stop at the crossing. Firefighter-Paramedics arrived several minutes later to the crossing on Wiess Lane, a single lane rural dirt road, to find a 2007 Ford Crown Victoria with massive damage. The car was located approximately 220 feet north of the crossing and was fully involved in fire. The driver was partially ejected, but trapped inside the vehicle and appeared to have died from multiple traumatic injuries before the blaze erupted. The northbound Amtrak train was approximately 4/10 of a mile north of the crossing. No one on the train was injured. Firefighters used one 1-3/4 handline to extinguish the fire. The Coroner’s Office was notified and when they completed their investigation, Firefighters used Holmatro Rescue Tools to extricate the driver. The Coroner’s Office transported the man. Rail traffic on the busy north-south CSX route was stopped for several hours. The SC Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

Engine 27, Tender 90, Medic 6, Rescue 1, Battalion 1, Car 110, Car 112 and Car 118 responded. Battalion Chief Brent Dalton served as Incident Commander.