7 Hurt as Train Hits Truck Stuck on Tracks

Despite a state police escort, a truck carrying a huge $1.5-million oil refinery condenser became stuck on Glendale train tracks and was struck by a Metrolink train, injuring seven people, authorities said Friday.

A second Metrolink train heading for downtown Los Angeles made an emergency stop and came within 50 feet of striking debris from the crash on companion tracks, authorities said.

The driver of the oversize truck made a wrong turn and bottomed out on the tracks, where it was struck, according to the California Highway Patrol. The driver could not be reached for comment.

The route was designed specifically to avoid train tracks. Despite that, the truck was hit when it was retracing its path, crossing the heavily traveled tracks a second time.

“It appears [the truck caravan] was not following the route they were supposed to. Officers had to turn them around more than once,” said Spike Helmick, CHP commissioner.

The train engineer and conductor and five passengers sustained minor injuries. The truck driver, who was attempting to free the truck from the tracks, was unhurt in the 6 a.m. accident at Grandview Avenue and San Fernando Road.

The rig had traveled 20 days from Texas without mishap before it arrived in Glendale. Its destination was a refinery in El Segundo.

The truck followed a lead vehicle specially equipped with an antenna to judge the height of underpasses. Helmick said that routinely during escorts, the CHP avoids train tracks and keeps oversize trucks from getting caught in the middle of intersections.

“Our purpose is to shut down roads and [see] that trucks don’t get hit,” Helmick said.

The CHP was operating under contract to escort the truck, which is affiliated with the Houston-based company Mercury Transportation Inc.

According to Helmick, the truck was supposed to turn south onto San Fernando Road from Grandview Avenue. He said officers were blocking traffic so the truck could make the turn.

Instead, the driver went straight across the tracks, which parallel San Fernando Road.

CHP officers instructed the driver to turn around and cross the tracks a second time, Helmick said.

“The pilot car is responsible to preview the route and lead the truck to the proper road,” Helmick said.

The truck had permits for traveling through state freeways, Los Angeles County and various cities, but Helmick wasn’t sure if its permit for driving through Glendale was authentic.

“There will be a lot of things this truck company will have to answer to,” Helmick said.

The impact of the crash ripped the trailer from the cab and dragged it a quarter-mile down the track. The truck’s equipment was worth $1.5 million.

Sgt. Rick Young of the Glendale Police Department said his officers put out flares along the track to alert other trains.

Metrolink spokesman Francisco Oaxaca said the engineer of the first train alertly radioed ahead to warn the second southbound train, which stopped about six minutes after the accident. Oaxaca said southbound trains normally carry about 300 passengers, and he estimated that the debris would have caused a significant impact.

The northbound train had left Los Angeles and was headed for Burbank when it hit the truck. The train carried three cars and six passengers, he said.

The engineer, Melanie Elder, became trapped in the train and it took Glendale firefighters about 15 minutes to get her out, authorities said. The truck’s driver, Arron Bellmyer, was uninjured.

Northbound train service was interrupted and passengers heading to Los Angeles from Oxnard and Lancaster experienced two-hour delays, Oaxaca said. Passengers were bused to Metrolink’s Burbank and Glendale stations, he said. Metrolink’s southbound tracks were opened at noon and northbound tracks were opened at 1 p.m.