A dramatic video of a high-speed passenger train plowing into a pear-laden truck at a level crossing has gone viral, leaving viewers stunned and rail officials pleading with drivers to stay sharp. The crash took place around 11:30 am Thursday on Bredestraat in the quiet village of Meteren, about 50 km south of Utrecht.
CCTV footage released by Dutch rail manager ProRail shows the truck inching onto the secured crossing, then suddenly braking and reversing, apparently to dodge road traffic. It ends up trapped as the red-and-white booms slam shut. Seconds later, the train barrels through, shredding the trailer and hurling pears, metal shards and dust in every direction.
All five people hurt were inside the truck; miraculously, their injuries were minor. It’s still unclear if any needed hospital care. The roughly 200 passengers aboard the train walked away unscathed. They were quickly evacuated and shuttled by bus to Den Bosch station.
ProRail called the damage “incredibly extensive.” A full kilometer of track has to be ripped out and replaced, with repairs stretching into the weekend. Train service between Utrecht and Den Bosch is a mess, no intercity trains at all, and nothing running between Geldermalsen and Den Bosch. Travelers are being rerouted via Arnhem, with replacement buses filling the gap.
Investigators are still piecing together why the driver couldn’t clear the crossing in time. ProRail says the clip “shows how quickly things can go wrong” and hopes it drills home the message to truck and bus drivers everywhere.
