OAN’s Abril Elfi
2:36 PM – Saturday, December 23, 2023
An 18-wheeler truck filled with gasoline crashed and exploded into a railroad bridge in upstate New York.
When a freight train was passing on the tracks above on Thursday night, a tractor-trailer loaded with what authorities believe to be gas containers crashed into the bottom of an overhead railroad bridge and exploded.
The crash happened at around 6:30 p.m. when the truck hit the bridge in Glenville, seriously injuring the driver and knocking out power for home and businesses around the site.
According to news photos and video captured on the scene, flames shot skyward from the wrecked truck, which was wedged beneath the bridge and on the verge of falling over.
Authorities stated that the truck was transporting compressed natural gas containers.
The train did not stop, and no significant damage was reported.
Christopher Koetzle, the Glenville town supervisor, spoke to the press staging that their first thought was “god forbid if there is a fatality here.”
“This is something we feared for years. This is obviously the most significant hit we’ve had to our bridges,” Koetzle said. “It should invoke more discussion on this absolutely.”
On Friday, workers were still making an effort to get the truck out from under the bridge. According to officials, engineers were supposed to examine it afterward to assess the damage.
A Texas man in his 60s was identified as the driver who was taken to Westchester Medical Center to receive treatment for third-degree burns.
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