A BNSF train struck a semi-truck that was stopped on the tracks and caused a derailment in Iberia Parish, Louisana, near the town of New Iberia. Videos captured the shocking scene. A day after the crash, crews are still cleaning up the debris.
The incident occurred around 5:00 PM local time on August 21, 2023, and the derailment happened at the intersection of LA Highway 182 and Airport Boulevard. The police had to close a stretch of road and reroute traffic. Law enforcement initially evacuated the area but let people back into the area about two hours after the crash.
The clip above combines two videos. The first portion starts just as the train is about to hit the semi-truck. There's immediately a massive cloud of smoke that conceals the area. The second section is a better view. It shows the vehicle stopped at the railroad crossing and the collision.
Motor1.com reached out to BNSF for a statement about what happened. "BNSF can confirm at approximately 5 PM CST Monday, a train struck a semi-truck occupying the Airport Boulevard crossing in New Iberia, Louisiana," a spokesperson for the railway company told us. "The incident resulted in the derailment of 20 rail cars and two locomotives carrying mixed freight including plastic pellets. There were no injuries reported to the crew or hazardous material compromised. The railroad crossing is equipped with gates, lights, and bells. The cause of the incident is under investigation. Highway 182 is closed in both directions from the Iberia Parish line to Darby Lane as BNSF personnel work with local law enforcement to clear the incident."
In addition to the plastic pellets, the train was hauling acrylic acid. "That commodity was not compromised," a BNSF spokesperson told Motor1.com.
A separate statement on BNSF's website says: "The estimated time of reopening the main track is Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at 4:00 AM."
The Daily Iberian local newspaper reported that the semi-truck driver was able to escape the vehicle before the impact. Some debris struck a white van, but no one in it was hurt.
