This is the horrific moment a truck is smashed to pieces by a speeding train after being wedged between two barriers at a level crossing.
The incident happened in Gdansk, Polandwhen an orange truck crossed the track and appeared to get stuck between the barriers.
Footage shows the driver initially trying to reverse, before opening his door and apparently seeing the approaching train.
He quickly slams the door and tries to move forward in a desperate attempt to get off the tracks.
But he can’t escape in time and the train crashes into the truck, tearing the rear section apart and sending debris and sparks flying into the air. The train is then seen to come to a stop.
Miraculously, no one was killed or seriously injured, although the truck driver was taken to hospital.
Of the 300 passengers on board the train, two passengers and the conductor were examined at the scene before being released.
All passengers had to evacuate themselves after the crash.
Footage shows the driver initially trying to reverse, before opening his door and apparently seeing the approaching train
The train crashed into the truck, tearing the rear section apart and sending debris and sparks flying into the air
The train is seen coming to a stop after the collision
The accident completely halted train traffic
The train was en route from the port city of Gdynia, north of Gdansk, to Zielona Gora in western Poland.
Photos taken at the nearby Gdansk Lipce station show the aftermath of the collision, with the train’s driver’s cabin barely visible beneath a mass of truck wreckage.
Representatives of the Gdansk prosecutor’s office told Polish newspaper Onet that an investigation has been launched into Thursday’s accident on suspicion of “creating the risk of a transport catastrophe.”
The 42-year-old driver, who is a Bosnian national, will be brought before the public prosecutor today, where he is expected to be charged.
The crash reportedly caused delays to 279 trains and damage was estimated at PLN 140,000 (approximately £28,000).
Transport agency PKP wrote in a statement: ‘As a result of the incident, 279 trains were delayed, a total of more than 17,500 minutes. On part of the route, 30 trains were canceled and 45 were diverted.’
A government representative described the truck driver’s behavior in an interview with Onet as ‘extremely stupid’.
“Someone driving a 40-ton truck while standing at an intersection as a speeding train approaches? This driver has created a real threat of a land disaster,” said Piotr Malepszak.
According to local reports, a similar situation occurred the next day when another truck driver became stuck between the barriers. Fortunately, the incident ended without a collision.
Local media report that this is an area where locals have struggled for almost two decades to get authorities to build separate border crossings.
