On March 12, 2005, volunteers from the Mifflin Township (PA) Forest Rangers responded to a crash at a private grade crossing involving a mid-sized sedan and a freight train. As one would expect, the car was demolished and the lead engine of the train suffered little noticeable damage.
The first-due apparatus, a 2,000-gpm pumper/tanker carrying 3,000 gallons of water, and our special operations (command/haz-mat) unit found a single motor vehicle on its left side approximately 30 feet from the crossing. There was no fire or any signs of leaking fluid. The point of impact on the vehicle was near the left front tire, and the passenger compartment was intact.
The driver, a 52-year-old woman, was found standing inside, on the driver’s side door. Her pet German shepherd was sitting behind her. After pulling out the remains of the windshield, the driver was extricated. The dog, which was initially a concern to the first-arriving firefighters, calmly walked over to a neighbor of the victim.
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