Witness describes moment truck collided with train near Levack

Witness describes moment train, truck collided A witness to Friday's collision of a transport and a train near Levack says she was stopped at the train tracks when she saw the truck.

Sudbury — A witness to the Friday morning collision of a tractor-trailer and a train near Levack says she was stopped at the train tracks when she saw the truck coming.

"He just flew right by me into the train," Sherry Singer said. "No application of brakes or anything. It was a pretty sudden stop and the train didn't pull him too far.

"I was right at the train, like I was stopped, and the train was in front of me and he just flew right by me. And my first thought was, 'Where is he going? Does he not see the train?' And he just smashed into it."

At that point, Singer said she jumped out of her vehicle and was the first to arrive at the damaged truck.

"He got out by himself," Singer said. "He was shaken up and had cuts down his arm and a bit of blood, but other than that he was good."

Singer said the driver told her he lost control of his brakes. He also thanked her for helping him.

Provincial police say the railroad police are taking over the investigation. OPP Const. Michelle Coulombe says the crash happened around 11:25 a.m. on Highway 144 in the Greater Sudbury community of Levack. It took place in an area where there is a big bend in the roadway, near High Falls where the train tracks cross the highway and there's no stop arm at the crossing.

An empty boxcar derailed from the train as a result and blocked the roadway. The collision closed the highway for two hours and one lane was opened about 1:45 p.m.

The driver of the tractor-trailer driver suffered minor injuries in the incident.