David Carson Wednesday December 22, 2010--Rescue personnel help guide people off of a Metrolink train that was involved in a crash just south of N. Market Street in Pagedale on Wednesday. David Carson dcarson@post-dispatch.com
UPDATE 5:45 a.m. MetroLink is running regular service this morning across both tracks at the scene of the accident yesterday, a spokeswoman said. Service was restored at 12:58 a.m. today.
PAGEDALE • Several passengers on a MetroLink train were treated for injuries after the train struck a tow truck stalled at a crossing here Wednesday.
Witnesses said the eastbound train hit the flatbed truck at the North Market crossing around 5:30 p.m. The crash did not cause the train to derail.
Metro spokeswoman Dianne Williams said she was told that the impact jostled the train's passengers but that none of the injuries appeared to be serious.
She said no one was in the truck.
"An unoccupied vehicle stalled on the tracks," Williams said. "We could not stop in time to avoid hitting it."
Ray Friem, Metro's chief operating officer of transit services, was at the crash scene Wednesday evening. He said that he didn't know how many passengers had been hurt and that the crash was still under investigation.
"I don't have any specifics yet," he said.
The MetroLink tracks between the Wellston and North Hanley stations were closed while the crash was investigated. Passengers were routed around the closed tracks by bus for several hours.
Addison Holzmeyer of Florissant said he was on the train heading to the Mizzou-Illinois basketball game at Scottrade Center when the train hit the truck.
"I felt the train stop, then we felt (the accident)," he said.
Devin Barnett, of St. Louis, who also was on the train, said windows shattered after the impact. He counted at least five people transported by ambulance to hospitals. Some, like him, signed waivers refusing treatment.
"I feel like somebody hit me," he said. "But I'm going to be all right."
The truck hit by the train had "Mr. JP Towing" on the side. No one with the firm could be reached Wednesday night.
The crash left the tow truck wedged against a pole about 200 feet south of where North Market crosses the MetroLink tracks at street level.
Barnett said the tow truck's driver was still there when passengers were allowed to exit the train.
"He said he wasn't in the truck when it got hit," Barnett said.
The crash was near the MetroLink station on St. Charles Rock Road.
Story provided by: stltoday.com
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